He gives good face
by tudilovesyou
Summary: A girl with connections to Mia, Letty and Vince reconnects after the hype of the heists dies down.First TFATF Fic, vinceOC. R&R! Rated M for future chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Alright so this is my first fast and the furious fic and also my first time writing in many many months so please be kind. I was inspired today to start something new and this is it. This first chapter is probably a little slow and it may even, dare I say, suck! Please bare with me it will get better once I get back in the swing of writing. Hopefully my spelling is ok my punctuation is most likely horrible but it's late and I really don't feel like doing an intense edit right now, if I get good reviews I'll intensely edit every chapter after this, promise promise! **

Brian was gone, Mia had heard he was in Miami but she wasn't sure, Dom and letty were still together most days, the broke up about twice every month, Jesse hadn't made it he was on life support for three months before the crew decided they just couldn't let him suffer anymore Leon was still the same old Leon as was Vince albeit a little broken and over Mia but the same none the less. The dynamic of the team was still there which is probably what kept them all sane the family was still the team and the team was still family.

It was a quiet day at the Toretto store, but these days quiet was a good thing. It had been about a year since the heists . Things had died down significantly after about six months and now a year later life was almost completely back to normal.

Mia called for Dom to come watch the counter so that she could go to the bathroom. He was standing at the counter when he heard the deep roar of a classic car, he leaned over the counter so he could see down the street, sure enough a black 67 Shelby mustang GT 500 was barreling down the street.He smiled to himself as it pulled up to the store, but scowled when he saw sky high high heels stepping out. The woman that had been driving was definitely attractive and looked like she came from money, with her dark jeans and tight black turtleneck , she oozed confidence and demure as she walked into the store as if she owned it.

"Is Mia around" she questioned , the huskiness of her voice surprising Dom.

"Yea she's takin a piss, she'll be back in a minute"

No sooner had Dom said that did Mia appear around the corner.

The mystery girl smiled immediately. "Mia mother fucking Toretto, you come back after a whole fucking year and don't even call your best friend"

Dom's jaw dropped at the language coming out of what he thought was an extremely prissy girl's mouth.

"Oh my GOD" Mia screeched jumping over the counter and hugging the girl tightly.

After a minute or so Dom cleared his throat loudly, sorely disappointed that he was essentially out of the loop.

"Oh sorry Veronica this is my brother Dom, Dom this is my best friend from college Veronica Santos"

"Nice to meet you Dom but please call me Ronnie" Veronica smiled shaking Dom's outstretched hand.

"You pre med too"

"OH god no, I'm an art teacher, Mia and I met in an anatomy class her freshmen year and we've been besties ever since, well until she left me without so much as a phone call" she scolded looking towards Mia.

"You know I couldn't"

"Yea I know but what kind of cuban-Italian would I be if I didn't make you feel guilty at least once a day"

This got a laugh out of Dom "alright I like her, she can stay, Dad would have approved"

"I know, she reminds me of mom I think that's why we clicked so quickly" Mia smiled, internally reminiscing with memories of her mother and recalling the instant sisterly bond she felt with Veronica.

"yada yada, less sentimental more gossip you've been gone for a year, catch me up" Ronnie exclaimed shooing Dom away.

Mia shrugged sitting on a stool at the counter, "there isn't much to tell I've only been back for about a month, the surfer guy turned out to be a cop so obviously that didn't work out, that friend of my brother that I always complained about isn't madly in love with me anymore, but I don't think he ever really was just something to occupy his time ya know, but other than that I've just been here"

"Are you going to start school up again"

"I don't know Ron, I mean I want to but it's been a year, besides you're gone" she pouted.

"Bullshit Mia, I was gone two years ago remember I'm older I started before you"

"Speaking of how is high school art"

Ronnie shrugged, "whiny teenagers with rock hard abs ya know life sucks" she laughed.

The girls chatted on for an hour before the sound of revving engines interrupted them, Mia looked up at the clock and groaned, "great, they're here"

Ronnie looked around confused, "they who, do I need to kick some ass? I'm still into the whole boxing thing"

Mia giggled, "No the rest of Dom's neanderthal team and his girlfriend"

"I thought you loved these people"

Mia listened to the car doors slamming, "Don't remind me"

Letty was the first person to come inside followed closely by Leon and Vince.

Vince was walking backwards into the store still staring intently at the black muscle car parked out front, "Yo Mia who the fuck is driving that" he shouted as he turned around and came face to face with Ronnie.

"Hello"

Letty suddenly stood up " Ronnie, no fucking way is that you"

"In the flesh, Leticia como estas Mami"

The three girls laughed loudly and the boys looking in confusion.

"So I take it you all know each other" Leon questioned trying to make sense out of the situation

"Yea Ronnie and I knew each other in high school then her and Mia became friends in college"

"yep, and now look at us, all grown up and Mia finally caught up in the T&A department, took ya long enough" Ronnie laughed groping Mia playfully.

"Yea yea whatever" Mia rolled her eyes.

Ronnie turned her full attention to Leon and Vince eyeing them both but spending a few more seconds on Vince. "Hi I'm Ronnie, nice to meet you guys"

"Leon"

"Vince" they each growled out shaking her hand steadily.

"Alright well I'd love to stay but I have to get back to work, you know how well a seventeen year old boy and a paint brush go together, Mia I'll see you tomorrow and Letty for once take a break from the balls and chain and chill with us".

Ronnie rushed out to her car and sped away, Vince watched her drive away for a few seconds before turning to face Mia and Letty.

"So who is she exactly"

"who cares Mami is fucking stacked, did you see that ass" Leon rambled salivating.

"Leon seriously, you're not her type anyway so just get over it" Letty snapped, he had been drooling over every single girl he saw except the one that he actually wanted.

"Ronnie is probably the best female friend that Letty and I have ever had, she's the most non judgemental person I've ever met, an artist fiercely creative and hands on whether its cars, art, building something, cooking, hell even gardening, she really is one of the few really amazing people in this world." Mia stated smiling at Letty.

"Yea shes bad ass, had a mowhawk in high school, and shes got a temper like me and Dom combined but shes cuban-italian what do you expect"

"She seems like a total skirt" Vince thought aloud.

"God don't be such an asshole Vince" Letty exclaimed immediately defensive of her friend.

Vince just shrugged and stalked off to the back office.

"He only says that cause he digs her" Leon sighed popping a chip into his mouth and turning the page of his car magazine.

"What are you talking about" Mia asked looking at him as if he were an idiot.

"he was like in love with her in high school, she was in our english class, but he never even spoke to her, said a chick with a mowhawk was way too much for him, then when he found out she was friends with you guys he thought he might have a chance but was too damn stubborn to ask for your help" Leon looked up quickly " don't tell him I told you that and don't act all girly and do that blind date set you up shit on him either cause then my ass will be canned" he walked away silently searching for something new to read or eat, whichever came first.

Letty sat there in shock, "why arent you more surprised about this"

"cause I saw him once when he picked me up from campus, he didn't know I was watching but I saw him, watching her. He looked like he was going to say something to her but then her boyfriend walked up and kissed her, he looked crushed. She has no idea who he is though"

Letty jumped the counter and started fixing something to eat, "doesn't really surprise me though, I know in high school she was so into art guys werent even on her radar every spare second she had was spent drawing or fixing up that damn mustang"

"yea and she dated the same guy all through college, but who knows , shes single now and Vince is obviously still attached"

"Mia don't" Letty warned seeing the wheels start to turn in Mia's brain.

"I'm not, I just think it's going to be interesting to see how things play out."


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright so this chapter is kind of short and probably a little choppy but I always tend to have a difficult time starting up new stories so bare with me (please)!! Anyway continue to read and start reviewing, I know you guys are reading but you need to review help me out, give me ideas….I need them! Lol ! Also thank you to those of you who did review the first chapter, this is for you guys!!**

The next night Mia and Letty arrived at Ronnie's apartment around nine for drinks and an old school sleepover.

"Ok I know this is stupid but I'm really having a lot of fun" Ronnie giggled as she downed her fourth beer of the evening.

"When did you become such a light weight?" Letty chastised Ronnie for buzzing off of four beers.

"Please you know I quit drinking back in high school"

"Yea yea. So do you have a studio in the place or what?" Mia questioned bouncing around, anxious to get a peak at some of Ronnie's latest work.

Ronnie nodded getting up and leading the other two towards the door at the end of the hallway, "here it is" she smiled opening the door and flipping the lights on.

Mia immediately went to the drawing table and looked down at Ronnie's latest creation, what she saw shocked her. "Ronnie, you drew Vince"

"WHAT!" Letty exclaimed racing over and shoving Mia out of the way.

"You did draw Vince" she gasped, astonished.

Ronnie rolled her eyes, "I couldn't help it, his face is perfect. I couldn't stop looking at him yesterday, then today I couldn't stop sketching his eyes during all of my classes it was driving me crazy I had to draw him, besides he gives good face"

Mia sat down dramatically, "This is so not good"

"Why? He's just a guy that I drew"

It was Letty's turn to roll her eyes, "it's never just a guy that you drew. You've never drawn a guy before, always women you always said you would draw a man when one inspired you, I think this is a big deal girl"

Ronnie took the sketch from Letty's hands, setting it back down, "yea well I think you both are crazy".

The next day as Letty and Mia drove home, they were both thinking the same thing.

"You know you can't tell Vince about the picture" Letty warned evenly.

Mia scoffed, "and why not"

Letty was quiet for a few minutes, changing lanes and thinking about her response, "Because if we want anything to happen between Ronnie and Vince ,we have to let it happen naturally. I know Ronnie and she won't be forced into anything, even if she really wants it"

"I guess, I mean honestly how do we know that they would even really want each other anyway?" Mia mused

Letty just smiled, "I have a good feeling about, you could see it in their eyes, almost like love at first sight"

"When did you turn into a girl" Mia smiled.

"I guess it's easy to get caught up in it all when it's real"

The next few weeks flew by.

Ronnie was constantly busy teaching her classes or hanging out with Mia and Letty.

Mia finally seemed to have that special Mia glow back which thrilled Dom to no end, and poor Vince was stuck constantly hearing about Ronnie or seeing her at the store or house and thanks to a severe termite infestation in her townhouse ,Ronnie was now taking refuge at the Toretto house.

It was 11:30 on a Saturday night, Ronnie was desperately trying to find a quiet spot in the house so as to grade papers. Her room was next door to Dom and Letty's and of course they were going at it like rabbits and loudly. Mia was blaring her music trying to drown it all out and Leon and Jesse were in the living room playing grand theft auto and like always they were very vocal whilst playing.

She finally decided that her only option was the basement, she only prayed that Vince wasn't in another one of his moods that seemed to be happening so very often as of lately.

Two weeks after they had reunited Mia told Ronnie of Vince's previous infatuation with her. Ronnie tried not to think too much of it, she wasn't really looking for a relationship or a hook up which Vince was known for, but she did find him intriguing and wanted to at least befriend the man whom she couldn't get out of her mind.

So with her papers and sketch pad in hand she padded softly down the stairs leading to the basement and poked her head around the corner. Vince instantly came into sight, sitting on the ratted out sofa quietly strumming chords on his acoustic guitar.

"Oh thank God, someone that's not screaming or fucking" she sighed sitting down on the opposite end of the sofa.

"Don't the two usually go hand in hand" Vince smirked

"Yea but not in this case, anyway you mind if I crash down here? I've got to get these papers graded for Monday and the people in this house are driving me nuts"

"Be my guest, you ok if I stay out here or is my playing gonna bother you" he questioned gazing over her bare legs that were now stretched out, her toes almost touching his thigh.

"No please stay, music is my escape besides I love acoustic" she smiled at him and turned to her papers.

An hour passed, Ronnie had finished her papers and was now busy sketching away, not a word had passed between them again and she loved the comfortable silence.

"What are you drawing?"

"Your hands" she answered looking up and yawning.

Vince looked down at his hands, calloused and still slightly dirty from his day at work, "why"

She smiled, "because I like them, they have personality"

Vince scoffed as he set his guitar down and turned to face her, "how can hands have personality"

She leaned forward and took his right hand in her own, "look, calluses hours of guitar, the dirt under your fingernails, hours of work under the hood of every car in town, well any car worth driving. Then these scars, means you've got a story. A very interesting story I might add"

"You know the story" He questioned drawing his hand back slightly.

Ronnie just ran her thumb over the top of his hand slightly, "yea Mia told me. She had called me when she was on her way to the hospital then I finally got to hear the whole thing a few weeks ago"

"And you're still hanging around here"

"Look Vince everyone has a past and a history, I know that, I understand that, hell I've got a checkered past of my own. It's nothing to be ashamed of" she stated matter of factly.

It was quiet for a few minutes, Ronnie got the idea that Vince was sizing her up, it made her uncomfortable but she understood.

"So can I see my hands" he smiled leaning over trying to peak at her sketch book.

"My my Vince I think that is the first time I have ever seen you smile, and no you cannot see your hands"

Vince pouted slightly, "Come on"

"Honey I invented that face, it won't work on me" she laughed at his display, so unlike the rough and tumble Vince.

"I have my ways" he smirked.

Ronnie just raised an eyebrow, "right, well on that note I'm going to bed. I will see you tomorrow"

"Night" Vince called to her retreated form.

"Goodnight Vince"

**REVIEW!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Since the last chapter was short I decided to be nice and post another one. Two in one night, sometimes I amaze myself!! Once again please be kind, my editing is slacking I know but it's late , I'm tired, sometimes I get a little too comma crazy ,but hey at least I tried to punctuate properly even in my insomniac state. ENJOY!**

**Oh and just a little side note….for those of you who haven't already done so, check out cinsay(dot)com. Matt Schulze(Vince) is directing and starring in a film called The Acquirer which is exclusively found for free streaming download at the above website. It's pretty good and he looks hot so check it out.**

Eleven the next morning everyone had finally made their way to the kitchen, with the exception of Ronnie.

A loud thud came from upstairs; Vince looked upwards then shifted his gaze towards Mia.

"Don't worry she's just getting dressed" Mia answered

"Sounds painful"

"MIA!!" Ronnie's shrill cry rang throughout the house.

Mia immediately dropped her toast and shot up the stairs, Vince close behind.

Mia threw the door to Ronnie's room open and found her standing there in a simple black dress, heels and her hair pulled back in a low bun. "Mia is this ok"

Mia gasped, "Is it that time of year already" she questioned.

"Yea I know it came fast, but it is. I'm nervous this time" Ronnie responded.

Vince looked on in confused silence.

"You're always nervous but it always ends up ok"

Ronnie looked up and caught Vince's gaze, "do I look ok"

"Yea you look beautiful, where are you going anyway" he asked walking over and pushing a stray hair behind her ear.

Mia moved out towards the door and watched the pair interact as if they had been together for years.

"Lunch with my brothers"

"Brothers"

Ronnie nodded, "yea four of them, Tony, Carmine, Paulo, and Berto"

"Wow" Vince answered stunned.

Mia giggled from the doorway, "they live in New York and only come to town like twice a year, and they do this big old fashioned Italian lunch dinner thing"

The sound of a car horn came blaring through the windows. "Crap they're here, I gotta go thanks for helping me" Ronnie called running out of the room and heading downstairs.

Vince peered out the window and saw the large black SUV slowly four men with dark hair all dressed in black stepped out, their faces lighting up instantly as soon as they saw Ronnie. They said their hellos and were quickly on their way.

Vince turned towards Mia, "that looks slightly suspicious"

"Yea"

"New York?" He questioned again.

"Yea, it's what you think; her father is high in command." Mia nodded affirming Vince's assumption that Ronnie's family was involved in some sort of organized crime.

"Why does she live out here?"

"her mom died when she was 16, they sent her to live out here, thought it would be safer to send her to the farthest place they could think of and change her last name to her mother's maiden name. The boys are all Rimaldi"

Vince's head snapped towards Mia, "Not the Rimaldi I'm thinking of"

"No"

Vince sighed in relief.

"But that was her grandfather" Mia continued.

"No fuckin way, does Dom know that the granddaughter of the most famous Don of our time is living under his roof" Vince growled, feeling somewhat angry that Ronnie hadn't been the one to deliver this news to him.

"Yea he knows, he's kind of proud of it actually. Don't you go giving her a hard time about it either, she doesn't approve of it and she hates it with a passion, but it's her family and she loves them in spite of it all, you have to respect that about her"

"I guess" he grumbled still not happy with the situation.

"Besides it's not like you guys are dating or best friends or something, I'm sorry but you're not she doesn't need to feel guilty about not telling you"

It was late before Vince heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. The house was quiet, everyone had gone to bed but he had decided to wait up for Ronnie. He could hear her clicking up the walkway and then the key in the lock.

She walked in quietly and dropped her keys on the side table and quickly removed her shoes, she looked up and jumped at the sight of Vince.

"Jesus V, you scared the shit out of me. What are you doing up anyway" she whispered walking over to where he was seated on the sofa.

"Nothing just watching TV, waiting for you" he replied moving his legs from the coffee table so she could walk by and sits next to him.

"That's sweet but you didn't have to wait up for me" she settled down next to him laying her head on his shoulder.

He decided that she must be beyond tired to willingly be that close to him. "Yea well your brothers looked a little sketchy"

"I take it you figured out my secret" she giggled softly into his shoulder.

"Yea but Mia confirmed it. How did it go anyway" he questioned lifting his arm to the back of the couch to better accommodate Ronnie's head.

But Ronnie shot up instead. "Fucking pissed me off, every year it's the same thing. 'Oh Veronica Marie why don't you come home and help up with the restaurant?' and by restaurant they mean"

"Yea" Vince nodded.

"Exactly, and I just, I don't know I mean they have power and the name that everyone recognizes but I have a life and a job, I feel safe here ya know. My brothers don't even feel like my family anymore, I mean they shipped me off because it was the easiest for them not because it was the safest thing for me because let's face it, if someone had wanted to kill me it sure would have been a hell of a lot easier to get me when I'm out here alone with no one to protect me instead of back in New York where my whole family and my father's crew is there 24/7"

Vince smiled, "well in their defense they are guys, not always on the top of their game"

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "I guess, I still think it's pretty shitty"

Vince ran his hand up and down her bare arm, "yea it is but it's still your family an you love them anyway but you have another family, you've got Mia and Dom and Letty love you, Leon wants to bone you but I think he still might like you as a person"

"Shut up, Perv" she screeched whacking him across the chest.

"Alright alright, but you know what I mean, we care about you here too"

Ronnie shook her head, smirking to herself. "You sure aren't what I expected you to be like"

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you hated me back in high school"

"What" he asked shocked at the fact that she even knew he existed.

"Yea I turned around and asked you a question one day in English and you just looked at me like I was crazy, I thought you just thought I was a bitch or the weird Mohawk girl, possibly a butch lesbian. I never expected you to be sweet and artistic and rugged" She got up and made her way to the stairs stopping on the second step, " it's a good surprise though"

He watched her walk up the stairs still in shock of what he had just learned. He remembered the incident she was talking about like it was yesterday, he was so astonished that she had even spoken to him that he couldn't say anything, he tried desperately to tell her that he did in fact have a pen that she could borrow, hell she could have his kidney if she wanted it, but the words wouldn't form and just like that oppurtunity flew out the window.

**Seriously if you don't review and leave your questions, comments, and suggestions what will be the purpose of me updating? Review Now!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Another chapter, Finally I know. This chapter is relatively short and I apologize in advance for any punctuation and/or spelling errors but I'm tired and spell-check was all I could muster the energy for. I hope you all enjoy this chapter; the story is taking a slightly different direction than I had originally planned and directions may change again soon, who knows. In the future of the story I'm going to attempt to add more dialogue, background info, and perhaps a flashback or two. As always your advice and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome as well as compliments and praise of course! **

**Read, Enjoy, Review!**

**FYI: Italics are thoughts or flashbacks, you can figure out which is which.**

Another three weeks flew by, summer was settling in on L.A. and Ronnie was getting ready for her own summer vacation from her job teaching. She had agreed to help out at the garage since Mia had decided to take permanent employment at the store, which left no one to handle the mundane everyday tasks of paper work and inventory at the garage.

Ronnie had taken to ignoring Vince, she had convinced herself that the last thing she needed was a 6'2 burly distraction, so when he entered into her domain, aka the back office of the garage, she tried to seem uninterested.

"Hey where's Dom"

Ronnie didn't even look up to acknowledge him; she just kept focused on the paperwork in front of her.

"He did a part run to Harry's then lunch with Letty. Why do you need something?" _Shit that sounded caring._

"I'm gonna head out, I don't know when I'll be back." He said in what Ronnie was certain was the deepest register of his voice.

"Ok"

"Tell Dom I'll have my cell phone if it's an emergency or something..." He was stalling, waiting for a reaction of any kind. She had been ignoring him for almost a month; it was a proud man's worst fear….rejection.

As he walked out of the office he mentally beat himself up, this was a test, if she really cared she would say something, come after him, send out a smoke signal when he was gone for longer than a couple of hours, but he knew it was no use, she had made her decision three and half weeks ago when she walked up those stairs and apparently out of his life, not that she was in it to begin with. A stupid infatuation that's all this was, she was hot, untouchable, like a siren, that's what hooked him but that he could get over.

He had been MIA for two weeks and three days. Dom had called twice, Leon once, Mia five times, Letty three. Then there was the lone text message from Ronnie, it came three days after he had left.

_Hey, the screaming and fucking won't stop! I don't know when you're coming back but I'm camping out in your room until then….Don't worry I won't steal your porn, just watch it. I hope everything is ok…._

_See you soon _

_Ronnie_

It was close to 1 a.m. when he finally pulled up to the fort for the first time in so long. He wasn't surprised to see the house dark and assumingly empty. He planned it that way though, come home on a Saturday night when everyone was out at the races, the after party wouldn't be at the Toretto home, Mia and Letty had put a stop to that, something about finding crusty condoms in the couch cushions.

He let himself in and made his way quietly downstairs stopping at his door only to see the outline of a woman's figure through the glow from the TV and instantly recognized it as Ronnie's.

Her dark hair was wrapped around her shoulders, the effect of several hours of tossing and turning, she was wearing a tiny pair of black panties and a skintight black wife beater, Vince convinced himself that if he looked hard enough he could see the faint outline of her nipples, but he quickly extinguished that lustful thought at the feeling of his jeans tightening.

Reasoning that letting her sleep peacefully instead of waking her up to go to her own room would be a better scenario he turned off the Television and quickly removed his shoes, shirt, and jeans and slowly crawled into the bed trying his best to stay as far on his side as possible.

The plan was aborted however when she rolled over and draped her hand across his chest. She inhaled deeply in her sleep and smiled. "Vince" was the muffled sound that escaped her lips as she scooted closer laying her head on his chest and entwining her legs with his. He kept his hands to himself and stared at the ceiling, a million thoughts running through his mind, but when her hand came to rest at the waistband of his boxer briefs the only thought in his mind was her.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here it is, the morning after! I hope you all enjoy, and don't forget to review and give me some feedback. **

Morning came and Vince awoke to the smell of Ronnie's shampoo. His face was buried in the crook of her neck his chest perfectly aligned with her back and one strong arm loosely holding her hip. He tried not to wake her as he slipped out of bed and to the bathroom; she shifted slightly but made no move to get up.

He came back a few minutes later only to find an empty bed waiting for him; he looked around confused before hearing the clanking of a pan coming from upstairs.

"I guess it's time to face the music" he groaned dreading the questions he knew were coming as soon as he ascended the stairs.

Vince was shocked as he walked up the stairs and onto the main floor. It was silent, no voices, no yelling, no sounds of hungry chewing, all of these occurrences odd for a Sunday morning at 10.

Making his way into the kitchen he saw Ronnie standing in front of the stove in the same attire as what he found her in last night save a pair of flip flops now adorned her feet.

"You ok with cinnamon rolls, I'm craving cinnamon rolls"

He sat down watching her, "yea cinnamon rolls are good are good."

She smiled lightly to herself; she had been worried sick about him for two weeks and three days. She dialed his number a hundred times, only to hang up before it started to ring. She wanted to get to know him, but she was scared to get hurt, to get attached to care about anyone in general. Then she felt stupid for being such a girl and diving into a future that she didn't even know existed.

She stared intently at the stove focusing on a sizzling skillet of sausage and refusing to turn around and look at him, _this man is going to drive me to madness!_

"Ok sausage is done, let me just get these things out of the oven and we can eat" she said grabbing a pot holder and bending over to open the oven.

Vince was focused on admiring the view of Ronnie bending over when she turned around, hot baking pan in hand. She caught his gaze and somehow lost grip of the pan sending cinnamon rolls crashing to the ground and the pan significantly sliding down the side of her thigh.

"SHIT, holy shit, fuckfuckfuck!" Ronnie hissed in pain dropping the pot holders and grabbing her leg.

"Come here" Vince commanded grabbing an ice cube out of the glass of water she had set out on the table. "Give me your leg"

She lifted her leg gingerly setting her foot on his thigh so that the outside of her leg was level with his face. "Is this ok?"

Vince gulped slightly, "Yea it's fine, this is probably gonna hurt"

"Fuck Vince I don't think it can hurt anymore than the 400 degree cookie sheet that just slid down my thigh" she grabbed onto his shoulder lightly, still wincing in pain.

"Yea well maybe you should invest in a pair of pants" he smirked. "You ready?"

Ronnie nodded gripping his shoulder tighter as he ran the ice cube up and down the now bright red stripe across her upper thigh.

Vince rubbed the top of her knee soothingly, attempting to calm the fire in her eyes. "It will stop hurting in a second, how did you drop that thing anyway?"

"I looked at you" she answered simply.

Vince looked up at her and quirked an eyebrow in question.

"I turn around and looked at you for the first time in two weeks and you look so different, it caught me off guard" she ran her hand over his new very short haircut and down his clean shaven face. "I wasn't expecting to see such a different face when you finally came home."

"Does that mean you hate it?" he asked smirking slightly.

Ronnie smiled, "no, I actually really like it. I can see your face for once; it's a good face you should show it off more often."

Silence engulfed the room as they stared at each other, Ronnie's hand still gliding along the short, soft hairs on Vince's head, Vince's hand caressing her leg in a calming manner.

"Hey, where is everyone, it's too quiet in this house"

Ronnie removed her leg and bent over to pick up the cinnamon rolls she had dropped, "Cabo. Dom said that the feeling in this house was too heavy for him and that they needed to get out for the weekend, which has turned into not coming back until Tuesday night."

"He closed up the garage?" Vince was in shock, Dom never closed the shop except of course when they were running from the law.

"No"

"He left it open with no mechanics"

"No"

"He replaced me" Vince roared becoming furious at the thought of being replaced.

"Relax, he didn't replace you. I've been working on the cars, don't get me wrong its slow with just one person, but at least things are getting done" Ronnie said in a soothing voice attempting to prevent the bruising of Vince's ego.

"I didn't know you knew about cars"

"Who do you think restored mine? Sorry about breakfast, I can fix something else if you want me to."

Vince stood up and stretched, "Nah it's alright, I'm not really that hungry anyway"

Ronnie turned to face him, "Yea I noticed, you look like you've lost 20 pounds, you feeling ok"

"Yea just haven't had much of an appetite, people not talking to you will do that" Vince jabbed beginning to get frustrated with the nurturing tone Ronnie was taking when not too long ago she wanted nothing to do with him.

Ronnie could feel the guilt rush through her veins, "Yea I guess that would do it. Listen I have to go to the shop, there is some inventory stuff I need to do and a botched brake job on a Mazda I have to get started on, there's left over lasagna in the fridge if you want it"

He felt slightly responsible for the somber look on her face as she walked up stairs to change, but not guilty enough to apologize. Vince did however decide that if she was going to play this push and pull game, he was going to make her want him as bad as he wanted her and in the crazy game of lust that was to ensue Vince would come out of it guns blazing.

Letty sighed contentedly as she looked out on the ocean in front of their rented villa, thoroughly enjoying the view of Dom glistening next to her.

"You think he's back yet?" She questioned.

Dom rolled over and looked at her smirking knowingly, "Yea he called me last night on his way into town."

Letty glared at him over the rim of her sunglasses, "Let me guess, you neglected to tell him that Ronnie was the only one there. Am I right?"

He laughed lightly, "Guilty, but I just couldn't deal with Vince being such a puta."

It was Letty's turn to laugh except hers was much more enthusiastic, "Tell me about it. I do feel bad for Ronnie though."

"Why is that?"

Letty looked out into the water, watching Leon and Mia, the two had finally gotten their acts together and realized that it was in actuality, each other that they wanted to be with. "All she wants is to be happy and she just won't let herself. She over thinks things, like this thing with Vince , she likes him I know she does but she holds herself back because she thinks too far ahead and commitment and all that shit freaks her out like no other"

Dom smiled, "yea I can see that, and I understand it too, but do you see the way that they look each other up and down, I don't know which one of them is worse about it, and it's always the asses with those two."

"I know, even if they never get together they will fuck at least twice" Letty laughed.

"Did you see the orange incident the day before Vince Left?"

Letty looked at him in question, "what? No, what orange incident"

"It was priceless, the three of us were in the office going over some inventory shit and she was eating an orange, and she does this thing where she like bites the piece of orange and then sucks the juice out and ya know she has those big fucking Angelina Jolie lips"

"Yea so" Letty interrupted.

"So she's doing this and it wasn't like a sex thing either cause she was actually really pissed and then she bites into an orange and juice runs down her chin and down her neck, and finally down between her tits"

"What did Vince do?" Letty leaned further towards Dom, hanging on every word of the story.

"Let, that's not even the best part, so then she took her finger"

"She licked it didn't she, didn't she, holy shit she did it on purpose" Letty exclaimed.

"What, why, how do you know that" Dom answered equally as excited.

"She used to pull the same shit in high school except then it was peaches, damn, the girl is like a fucking goddess"

"No shit, Vince had to leave the room; homeboy went fucking camping with the tent he was pitchin"

"Shit this is going to be insanely interesting, I almost can't wait to get back home" Letty smirked leaning back in her lawn chair, quietly thinking of all the tortuous things Ronnie was doing to Vince at this very moment.

Vince walked into the garage bay casually scoping the place for Ronnie; he finally spotted her leaning under the hood of a Honda the sound of power tools echoing off the hood. She wore an old ratted out pair of denim shorts and one of Dom's old garage shirts, he hair was sloppily piled atop her head in a random ponytail and grease seemed to cover every last inch of her. Even though he knew that turning him on was the farthest thing from her mind, all Vince wanted to do was lean her over that Honda even further and fuck her until she begged for more.

She stood up slowly, leaning backwards and snapping her back into place for what had to be the twentieth time that day, _I'm getting too old for this shit._ She placed the power drill back on her work bench and stared intently at the engine she was attempting to work on, but the only thing that came to mind every time she bent over was Vince and how much she thoroughly enjoyed getting fucked from behind, the two thoughts together made work absolutely hopeless.

Suddenly it hit her, the sweet smell that was uniquely him, it was a mixture of his cologne and his shampoo, nothing special but it gave him away like a fingerprint.

"Vince you better not be staring at my ass"

"I wasn't, I am now, but I wasn't before"

She turned around smiling. "You are such a dork" she yelled throwing a rag at him.

He laughed, "No one has called me a dork since the third grade"

"I doubt that, why did you come up here anyway?"

"Well I could leave if it bothers you so much" He replied pretending to take offense to her question.

Ronnie rolled her eyes, "It's not that, I just thought you would be tired or something. Going away always makes me sleep."

A soft smile graced Vince's lips, "Yea me too, but it was too quiet at the house. I don't know how you live alone"

Ronnie's face took on a somber grimace.

"What did I say" Vince asked quickly catching on that the subject of her living alone was a sour one.

Ronnie didn't answer right away, just laid back on a creeper and rolled under the Honda, it was only when Vince rolled next to her did she venture an answer.

"It's nothing."

Vince moved his hand from his stomach to her knee in a soothing manner, "C'mon Veronica, talk to me"

"It always surprises me when you're like that"

"Like what?"

"A genuinely amazing man"

Vince blushed slightly, "Now why would that surprise you"

Ronnie smiled widely while she worked on the car, "because it's unexpected, but I like surprises."

There it was, a moment, a fleeting moment, but a moment none the less.

They worked well into the evening before they finally decided to call it quits.

"I'm exhausted and hungry" Ronnie announced as they washed their hands together at the sink in the back of the garage.

"Yea me too, you want to grab some dinner?" Vince questioned, trying to decide if that sounded too much like a date or not.

"I have a better idea; I'll go home and take a shower while you pick up some Chinese takeout"

Vince nodded in agreement as he locked the garage and walked to their cars, "That sounds good, what do you want"

Ronnie stood by her open car door, one leg inside the driver's side and the rest of her leaning on top of the door, "I don't care, beef or chicken, you know me, I love all meat"

Vince's face drained of color because suddenly all he could think of was Ronnie on her knees with her big juicy lips wrapped around his hard dick. He wasn't sure if she her order held a double meaning or not but it didn't matter, the damage was already done.

Ronnie smirked, she did mean to send his mind running with dirty thoughts at her mention of loving meat, and judging by the look on his face she had succeeded.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hola everyone! I know it's been a while but here is a brand spankin new chapter, it's a little fluffy and slightly pointless but who cares. At this point I'm still not 100% sure where the story is going but I just keep writing what comes to me in hopes that some big huge action packed plot will eject itself from my fingers, no such luck so far. Hope you all enjoy and please review, your critiques and compliments are very much inspiring and appreciated! **

The rest of the gang returned home two days later to the sound of Vince and Ronnie fighting, about what no one was really certain.

"Yea well listen asswipe; if you do it again I'm going to shank you with one of Leon's toothpicks." Ronnie yelled over the side of the stairs and into the basement.

"Whatever you say Veronica" Vince yelled back equally as steamed as Ronnie.

Dom, Letty, Leon, and Mia all looked at each other before turning to face to face Ronnie.

"What, like you've never been pissed at someone?" She huffed walking back up the stairs and slamming her door shut.

Vince quietly walked up the steps before catching 4 sets of eyes.

"What was that all about?" Dom questioned.

"I don't know, I think its PMS or something." Vince shrugged.

Mia and Letty growled out their disgust with Vince's answer and hoofed it upstairs to see Ronnie.

As soon as the girls were out of sight Vince turned to Dom and Leon, smirk adorning his face.

"Uh oh, that's the coyote smirk if I ever seen it, what did you do" Leon laughed anxious to hear what Vince had gotten himself into.

"Dog I was up there in her room while she was in the shower, and I was just taking a little look see ya know"

"You mean you were snooping around in her underwear drawer?" Dom concluded.

Vince rolled his eyes, "well yea, but whatever bro that's not even the good part, I was looking through her underwear and I found her vibrator."

Leon started laughing and throwing high fives out to whoever would return them.

"Dude, that's so wrong" Dom chided.

"But so right" Leon giggled.

Their laughter dissipated as the three girls walked down the stairs, Ronnie was now dressed, her wet hair hanging down her back and her fierce eyes burning holes into Vince's head.

"Not that I don't love all this tension, but we brought pizza so everyone out back so we can eat, Vince get the beer!" Dom bellowed and proceeding to usher everyone outside.

No one spoke during dinner; everyone was waiting in anticipation of the blow up that was sure to come from Ronnie.

Unfortunately for everyone Vince couldn't take the quiet any longer and took it upon himself to calm Ronnie down.

"Look Ron you just need to chill out, it's not that big of a deal I get myself off too and you see my hand everyday so it's almost like the same thing."He reasoned, the thought making perfect sense to him.

Ronnie couldn't help herself and despite herself a smile broke onto her face shortly followed by a genuine laugh, "Yea I guess you're right, besides if I stay pissed at you about it, all I'll think about whenever I use it is you"

"Hmm that would be disturbing." Mia smirked in Vince's general direction.

"Ya know, I don't get vibrators, what do they do that a real man can't" Leon questioned.

"Stay quiet and let me get off" Letty answered.

Dom raised an eyebrow at her, "seemed like you got off just fine last night"

"Baby I was talking about the male population as a whole, not you."

"Yea, believe me Dom you have nothing to worry about, absolutely nothing" Ronnie drew out smirking against her bottle of Corona.

Letty's eyes bulged as she elbowed Ronnie in the side, "Letty relax a little praise goes a long way with a man."

"Thank you Ronnie" Dom smiled.

"I still wanna see it though"

"What? No! You can't see it" Letty exclaimed.

"I think I need to leave," Mia interrupted, "I don't need to see Dom naked."

"I'm with Letty, Ron you don't need to see his dick." Vince demanded firmly.

"Ok fine, can I feel it?"

Letty rolled her eyes but couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips at the sight of Vince's angry face and Leon's eyes going back and forth between Dom, Ronnie, Vince and Letty.

"Don't you think that's a little slutty?" Letty asked Ronnie with a smile.

"Maybe" she shrugged, "but a little slutty never hurt anyone"

Night fell and the group dispersed, Mia and Leon downstairs 'watching a movie' , Dom and Letty in the garage tinkering away at a '73 Baracuda Dom had bought dirt cheap and barely drivable, and Vince and Ronnie sitting on the picnic table out back both nursing warming Coronas.

"So…."

Ronnie smirked, "yea"

Vince huffed, "Are you really mad at me?"

"No not really, I think you just caught me off guard more than anything. Besides, sometimes it's just fun to have someone to fight with"

He smiled, " yea I kinda like it too"

Ronnie watched as Vince rolled his shoulders and tried to snap his neck for the 20th time that night.

"You alright, you seem like you're in pain or something."

"Yea I just rolled my shoulder or something today, I was workin at a weird angle under a Mercedes, and it's nothing."

Ronnie set her beer down in the grass and lifted herself away from Vince and onto the top of the table behind him, maneuvering her body so that one leg was on either side of him. She began to massage his shoulders slowly.

He moaned, "Hmm God you are really good at that"

"Yea well this is how I paid my bills in college, massage therapist Veronica at your service"

"What do you mean pay your bills? I thought your dad was loaded."

He felt Ronnie's fingers squeeze his shoulders harder before relaxing again, "He is but I didn't want to pay for my education with blood money. I love art; I didn't want it to be tainted. I know it sounds stupid"

"It doesn't sound stupid, I get it."

They remained quiet as Ronnie worked her way up Vince's back and to his neck, her fingers massaging the tanned flesh softly.

"Jesus Ron, you are amazing, I think I could cum right now"

Ronnie couldn't help it, she had to stop and laugh.

"What's so funny?" Vince questioned turning around.

"Nothing, I just don't think anyone has ever given me a compliment quite like that." She giggled.

"Not to your face, but I've got balls."

Ronnie placed her hands back at the nape of his neck, "I'm sure you do Vince."

He growled as she hit a particularly sensitive spot on his back, "I'll let you get your hands on them anytime you like too."

Ronnie smiled and leaned down to his ear biting it playfully then licking it slowly, "How about you come up stairs in a few minutes and I'll finish your massage the right way."

Vince groaned, "Don't tease me Veronica, it's not polite."

She ran her fingers delicately from his neck to his head, "I'm not teasing, I'm not going to sleep with you, but I will give you the most amazing feelings you've ever had while your dick was still in your pants."

"What is it that they say about curiosity?" Vince asked moving his head slightly to the right to let Ronnie continue her attentions on his ear.

"That it may kill you, but at least you'll die knowing?"

"You've got five minutes" he sighed knowing full well that he was doomed as soon as he set foot in that room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone here is the latest installment of the story, I hope you all enjoy! I also just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and favorite this story or me as an author, its doing wonders for my ego lol! Please review though I know you guys are reading so please review even if you hate it, ok maybe not if you hate it because I don't feel like dealing with bitchassness! Enjoy, love you all!**

She silently got up and left him behind to head for her room. Once inside she lit a few candles and dug out her old massage oils.

She sighed loudly, "Ronnie you're crazy, you've known this man a grand total of what 5 months and you're all googly eyed over him, this is fucking insane. Some people get married after just 5 months, shut up Ronnie. This is stupid, I don't have feelings for him, he's just attractive, something to hold my attention, something with a great ass to hold my attention, maybe he's the one, he is sensitive and artistic and really sexy and I'm about to rub him down with oil in my bed . Jesus I'm fucking insane." She rambled softly to herself before the sound of the door startled her out of her rant.

He looked shy, nervous even. "Hey."

She smirked, "Strip."

"What?"

"Shirt and jeans, they have to go and after you do that lay down on the bed on your stomach." She ordered.

"Well, aren't we bossy?"

"Yea and you're still gonna do it"

He nodded his head and lifted his shirt off effortlessly, revealing his tanned, toned flesh. Ronnie made no efforts to hide her stare she just leaned against her dresser and watched. What was the point of pretending she didn't enjoy the view? He unbuttoned his jeans and let them hang loosely on his hips, "Enjoying yourself?" he questioned.

"You're only half way there sparky, keep going."

He dropped his jeans and stood there in his red boxer briefs.

"Red, Satan's panties." She smiled. "On the bed."

He turned around and walked to her bed, groaning as he lay on his stomach. The whole thing smelled like her, the sheets were soft against his skin, suddenly the lights dimmed and they were immersed in candlelight.

"I know you're stressed about stuff but at least for the next twenty minutes or so try to relax."

He could hear the strain in her voice; it pained him the way she could read him like an open book. The way that she could tell he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. Then there was the small tug at his heart, the way that she worried and wanted him to relax, the fact that it made him feel like an 18 year old girl was something he was willing to deal with if she would just keep caring.

"I'll try." He assured her. He closed his eyes when he felt her crawl on the bed next to him.

"I'm sitting on you" she announced as she sat on him.

"Thanks for the warning." He laughed.

His laugh calmed her, she had been worried about him for days, he seemed to be contemplating life a little too deeply lately, making him scowl constantly and tense every time someone dared to speak to him.

She warmed the oil in her hands and proceeded to apply pressure just below his shoulder blades before moving her hands simultaneously up his back slowly working out all the knots and kinks in his shoulders. She removed herself from his back and sat just to the side.

"Please tell me it's not over." Came his muffled plea from the pillow he had buried his face in to quiet his moans.

"No just moving down." As she said that her hands changed directions and started a slow decent towards his lower back, her thumbs teased at the waistband of his underwear, slightly caressing the skin just beneath the barrier. She applied more pressure with each stroke of her hands and with the added pressure her hands dipped further under the red material until his shifting caught her attention.

"You alright? Am I hurting you?" she questioned.

"No" he answered shortly, he was desperately trying to get comfortable but between being surrounded by her scent and her hands doing torturous things to him it was impossible.

"Good, but I do have bad news."

"Hmm"

She made one last slow soft glide across his back, "We are finished."

He turned his head to the side so that she could hear him without the pillow blocking his voice, "You woman are amazing."

She giggled as she walked around the room putting away oils and blowing out candles, "Thank you."

"God I don't even want to get up, I could just pass out right here." He turned his head to the other side, his eyes following her as she flitted around the room.

"You can stay." She replied turning her back to him, slightly pointless considering the room was now almost completely pitch black, and removing her pants shirt and bra before slipping into a t-shirt.

"You sure?" Truth was he wasn't all that tired, extremely relaxed and painfully hard, he was more worried about the complete embarrassment of having to walk through the house with a tent in his shorts than he was about being tired, but if she was offering her bed for the night he definitely wasn't going to turn her down.

"Yea of course" she crawled into the bed next to him rolling over to her side and facing away from him. "Goodnight Vince"

He waited a few minutes before the urge to touch her became too great, he rolled over quietly and hooked an arm around her hips pulling her towards him. "Goodnight Veronica" he whispered in her ear. It wasn't his intention to turn her on but between the close proximity of their bodies , the way his hand felt as he ghosted it over her hip and the feel of his hard erection rubbing against her backside she found it impossible to hold in the soft moan that escaped her lips.

Vince couldn't help himself and he took her moan as encouragement daring to slide his hand further up her body and just under the hem of her shirt. As his hand glided over the smooth skin of her flat stomach she ground her ass against him.

"Shit Ronnie" he hissed clutching her to him.

She ignored his voice and clenched her thighs together trying to create some form of friction, her hand snaked behind her and latched on to Vince's thigh, his hand inched higher to lightly trace circles on the underside of her breast, she was in heaven , his touch was light and featherlike the kind of touch that women only gossip about but never actually experience but the feel of him suddenly palming her breast and tugging slightly on her sensitive nipple snapped her out of her reverie.

"Damn it Vince, Stop"

He pulled his hand away quickly as if her skin had burned him, "What, why?"

"Look we just can't do this. Just go to sleep, ok?"

She sounded sad, hurt, almost like she wished she hadn't just said what she had but he didn't force the subject, instead he just rolled over back to his side and went to sleep just like she asked.

He woke up the next morning in the same position he had fallen asleep in. On his stomach, face buried in a pillow, except this time Ronnie's head was on his back and he could feel her soft breath on his skin. He looked down his side and saw her hand hooked around his waist. He loved it when she was like this, she was touchy feely with everyone, that's just the kind of girl she is, but when she was around him she turned it off always afraid of getting too close, but when she was asleep her instinct took over and most of the time she ended up all over him in one way or another.

He slipped out of the bed grabbing his pants and shirt on his way out the door stopping only when a soft noise came from the bed.

Ronnie had rolled over onto the side that Vince had been sleeping on and curled herself into a ball, her eyes fluttered open, "V, where are you going?"

"I have to go get ready for work, you might want to think about doing the same thing" he replied walking out the door.

"Screw work, fuck Dom" Ronnie mumbled burying herself deeper under the covers.

Later that morning Ronnie was miserably making her way through her work day because she had in fact not screwed work nor fucked Dom. The tension was apparent to anyone who walked through the doors of the garage; the poor parts delivery kid didn't stand a chance.

"Can I help you?" Ronnie drawled out towards the gangly teenage boy.

"Yea I have a delivery for Veronica Santos."

She signed the pad that the kid thrust in her direction not even getting the chance to question what was in the twenty boxes he delivered, he raced out of the garage without so much as a second glance.

Ronnie opened the first box to find it full of funnels, the funnels that they used at the shop for oil changes and different fluids of that nature. "That makes sense I told Vince to order 50 funnels, at least he's not a total waste of space" she grumbled.

When she got to the second box she discovered it too was filled with funnels, and the third and the fourth. She peeled the order form off of the first box and saw red.

"VINCE!" she roared throughout the garage bay.

Dom chuckled rolling out from under the car he was working on, Letty meeting him as he stood up. "This I don't want to miss" he laughed louder this time.

"I know, I saw him coming out of her room this morning in nothing but his underwear." Leon added walking over to the couple.

Dom's head snapped towards Leon, "and why were you upstairs in the first place, you forget you live downstairs? I swear to God Leon…."

"Shut it, the movies starting" Letty snapped.

Vince walked towards Ronnie apprehensively, "Yea Ron."

"Idiot" she said calmly.

"What did I do now" he rolled his eyes.

She picked up a stack of funnels and chunked one at him narrowly missing his face, "You, moron, ordered 500 filters when I told you to order 50!" she accented each syllable with a funnel in his direction.

"So what?" he asked dodging funnels and throwing the occasional one behind him in the direction of his 3 giggling friends.

"So what am I supposed to do with 450 extra funnels in 18 giant cardboard boxes? UGH!!" she screeched her final words before stomping out of the room and back into the office and slamming the door.

"Well that went well" Mia concluded from her secluded hiding spot.

"She's been in a mood all morning." Letty replied.

Vince grumbled under his breath, "It's her own damn fault."

"What was that Vince?"

Suddenly a loud crash came from the office followed by a string of curse words, a slamming car door and screeching tires.

Leon leaned out the garage door and saw the tail end of Ronnie's mustang whipping around the corner. "Dog I think she went home for lunch."

"Yea well with any luck she'll stay there, now get back to work I have a business to run."

Ronnie was glad to leave, granted she acted like a pissed off three year old when she did but it didn't really matter. She hadn't been able to think about anything but the night before and how right it felt to have Vince's hands touching her but the thought of needing to feel someone's touch in order for her to function annoyed her to no end and resulted in the hostility she felt towards the world.

**REVIEW!!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone, here is the latest and it's a long one! I hope you guys like where this is going, I'm kind of at a roadblock with the story but for some reason I've been able to start writing the end of the story but whatever. Anyway read, enjoy and please review! Love love!**

She pulled up to the house and saw a new car parked in the driveway, a blue lancer.

"Crap, what now." She huffed getting out of her car and walking up to the front steps.

What she saw as she approached the front porch was far from what she was expecting.

A girl no older than 18 sat on the top step, her dark blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze, She picked gingerly at the hem of her denim mini skirt and had a look on her face somewhere between boredom and desperation.

"Excuse me, can I help you with something?" Ronnie questioned walking towards the girl slowly, praying it wasn't some racer chaser here for a good time.

The girl looked up , squinting into the sunlight, "Um do you know where I could find Vince Cruz, I knocked on the door but no one answered, I just really need to see Vince." In that moment the girl looked innocent and terrified almost like she was going to burst into tears at any moment.

"yea he is at work right now but he's not in the greatest mood we kind of just got into a fight, well I yelled at him and threw things but same thing." Ronnie rambled.

"Oh my God, you're Ronnie, Mom told me about you." The girl perked up suddenly realizing who she was talking to.

"Yea, I'm Ronnie, look I'm not trying to be rude or anything but who are you and what did Vince do to you?" she sat down next to the girl and tossed her purse behind her.

"I'm Bianca, I'm Vince's sister I just got here, I drove from New Jersey and I'm not going back home, my parents hate me"

"What why, Vince told me his Mom is amazing"

Bianca nodded, "Yea she is and our step-dad is really great too, but when they found out that I was pregnant at 17 by a guy that I barely know who wants nothing to do with me or our baby ,they got a little not so great and amazing."

Ronnie's heart broke for the girl, to be pregnant that young must be terrifying. "What did they say?"

Bianca started to sniffle, the tears were coming, "at first they didn't say anything and then they just lost it, my Mom started crying and asking what she did wrong and God they were so mad, they hate me"

Ronnie wrapped her arm around the young girl, "Sweetie they don't hate you and they aren't mad, just shocked."

"Yea well, I'm not going back, that's why I came here, I'm going to live here and I'll find a job and it will be fine, I'll get my GED I mean who really needs a high school diploma and I never really wanted to go to college anyway. It'll be fine" Now it was Bianca who was rambling.

"Bianca, hun, you have to calm down. I am not the kind of person that is sickeningly sweet and sugar coats everything to save peoples' feelings so believe me when I say that everything will be ok, it's going to be tough as shit but it will be ok"

"You really think so" Bianca sniffled.

"Yea, you're going to go back home, talk to your parents, finish school and figure out a career for yourself"

Bianca smiled, "Good cause I really don't like Los Angeles all that much."

"Baby, no one does. I'm going to go back to work and talk to Vince about all of this, I think it would probably be best if he heard it from me, give him time to not act like a jackass"

Bianca nodded, "You know him so well" she giggled.

Ronnie removed her house key from her key ring and handed it to Bianca, "Here is my house key, go inside, lock the door, you can stay in my room it's up the stairs second door on the left it's the one with the wrought iron bed and white comforter, get comfortable, make yourself at home because you know between Vince and Dom its gonna be a long night."

"Shit I forgot about Dom."

Ronnie laughed loudly at Bianca's paling face, "I think Dom will probably be the easier of the two, but I'll talk to them and maybe it won't be as bad as you're expecting. Now go inside, I'll be back in a little while."

Ronnie stood up to leave but before she could turn away Bianca embraced her in a bone crushing hug, "Thank you for everything, it really means a lot."

"you're welcome Bianca, hang in there girl."

Ronnie's mind went non stop on the way back to the garage, trying to think of every possible way that her upcoming conversation with Vince could go, she was nervous, something that didn't happen very often. She parked her car and walked slowly into the garage bay, no one really paid much attention to her which she was appreciative of. She spotted Vince working under the hood of a random sedan. She walked up behind him and ran her hand up his back, he stood up slowly, not ready for whatever retarded fight Ronnie wanted to pick with him this time, his scowl disappeared after one glance at her face. "What's wrong?" he asked suddenly worried.

She studied her flip flops for a few seconds before looking up at him again, "We need to talk."

"Outside?"

She nodded, grabbing his hand and dragging him outside into the sunlight.

"What's going on Veronica, you've got me all worried, you aint gonna throw things at me again are you?" He smirked trying to ease her somber attitude.

"Just please stay calm ok"

Vince nodded slowly.

"Well you know how I left when I got all temper tantrum?"

"Yea." He leaned against her car waiting for her to continue. "you're stalling"

Ronnie sighed and placed herself in between Vince's legs, leaning into him slightly, "I know. Anyway when I got home there was this strange car in the driveway and then there was this girl sitting on the front steps and she was looking for you."

Vince's eyes got big, he prayed it wasn't one of his random conquests come back to haunt him. "And…"

"It was Bianca."

"Bianca, like my sister Bianca." He made a move to stand up but she pushed him firmly back into the side of the car.

"Vince, she ran away from home. She's pregnant and your parents freaked so she ran off , said she was moving here going to get her GED and get a job but I talked her into going back and I really think everything is going to be ok you know she's just scared, but I mean she is 17 and pregnant I think I'd be freaked too." She started to ramble again, a random nervous habit, it was only when she stopped talking that she noticed the vice-like grip Vince had on her hips.

"She's pregnant?" he growled.

Ronnie ran her hands up his bare arms, "Yea but you can't be mad at her, it was just some drunken thing at a party, and the guy doesn't want to have anything to do with her or the baby. Look, I know that you're upset but just please think about her and how scared she is, she just wants her big brother to love her and tell her everything is going to be ok"

Vince sighed loudly and ran his hands over her head before letting out a loud growl, "God why did she do this, I've told her a million times to watch out for guys like that and to be careful , she's too fucking young to have a kid, God damn she's a freaking kid herself."

"I know. But at least she wants to go home now, and work things out you know, the best thing for her right now is to finish high school and maybe go to some sort of technical school or beauty school or something, she just needs a plan and your support." She remained calm even though Vince looked ready to kill, but she could only hope that her ease would rub off on him in the slightest….at least that was the plan.

He wound his hand through her hair and placed his other hand on her hip, touching her comforted him and at this point he could use some comfort. " This is bad."

Ronnie smiled , "not bad just unexpected. Call your mom, she's probably worried sick and speaking of your mom why exactly does she know about me"

Vince stopped his current ministrations of nuzzling her neck, "What?"

"Yea Bianca knew who I was, said your mom told her about me." She couldn't help the smile that came to her lips, she had caught him.

"Shit"

Ronnie giggled at Vince's reaction, "something you want to tell me."

He dropped his head to her shoulder, "I told her about Mia and Leon getting together and how good Dom and Letty were doing and then I told her about you and that you moved in and she just assumed that we were together, she was so excited I just didn't have the heart to tell her the truth."

"Awww you're a momma's boy" Ronnie grinned poking him in the chest to accentuate her point.

"Shut up" he smiled and pushed away from the car.

She caught him around the waist as he walked away, "hey , I think it's kind of hot when you're all sensitive."

"Oh yea?" he wrapped his arms around her hips.

"yea, call your mom, I'm going back home to change the oil in your sister's car."

Vince straightened immediately, "What?"

"She drove here."

"From Jersey?!" He exclaimed.

"I guess so. I'll see you at home" she squeezed his ass playfully, "be a good boy".

A shocked expression adorned his face as he watched her get in the car and drive off. "This is so not good."

The rest of the afternoon went by fast. Dom had taken the news surprisingly well, Vince was certain it was only because Mia wasn't the one pregnant, Vince's Mom was also a lot easier to calm than he originally thought. She felt guilty mostly, for pushing Bianca away, he knew she would welcome Bianca back with open arms and that was what Bianca needed.

"He's not going to kill me right?" Bianca had brushed her hair for the 50th time in the past ten minutes.

She and Veronica were sitting in the living room anxiously awaiting the arrival of the team.

"Relax girl he's not going to kill you, and if he does he will have to deal with me."

The sound of car doors slamming caught Bianca's attention, "Oh God they're here." She started to panic.

The door opened, "too late now." Veronica whispered shoving Bianca towards the door.

The gang all trailed in one after the other, each of them giving Bianca a hug and congratulating her on the baby but there was one person missing.

"Where's Vince" Bianca asked Dom as he walked through the door and closed it behind him.

"He said that he had an errand to run and that he'd be back soon." Dom shrugged and made his way to the kitchen already smelling the lasagna in the oven.

Dinner came and went and still no Vince, Ronnie was getting worried but she put it aside for Bianca's sake. The two sat in Ronnie/Bianca's room talking about baby things when they heard him walking up the stairs, Ronnie smiled reassuringly at Bianca as the door opened.

He opened the door slowly and smiled at his baby sister, "Hey girl, come give me a hug"

"You don't hate me do you? Are you pissed at me?" she started to tear up.

"No, I mean I was at first but Ronnie is a good buffer between me and my temper." He gazed over Bianca's head and smiled at Ronnie.

Bianca sat back down on the bed next to Ronnie and for the first time that night relaxed. "Yea Ronnie is pretty amazing, how did you manage to get her to go for a guy like you anyway?"

"oh well, it's a battle everyday" Vince laughed. He pulled a gift bag out from behind his back and set it on the bed in front of Bianca, "Here I got you something."

Bianca looked at the bag for a minute before pulling the contents out, in her hands she held 3 little newborn onesies, two yellow and one pale green.

"I figured yellow and green were safe since I'm guessing you don't know what it is yet." He was blushing under Ronnie's gaze, she looked like she was about to cry, Bianca already was.

"Vince you are the best big brother in the whole entire world, I love you so much, thanks for not hating me." She whispered the last part softly as she hugged the breath out of him.

"Yea well I'm about to get better, I'm driving back with you to Jersey, no way in hell my knocked up baby sister is driving across the country alone, again."

Bianca squealed, in excitement, "Oh my God Ronnie you HAVE to come too!"

Ronnie's eyes got big, "What? No. I don't think so, I'm not good with road trips, or parents for that matter."

"Ugh no come on please, our house is on the beach its gorgeous we can lay out every day and Mom has been dying to meet you and you being there will take some of the attention off of me. Please Ronnie please please please!!" the girl whined unattractively.

Ronnie looked to Vince to rescue her but he just laughed at the terrified expression on her face. "Shit" she muttered knowing that there was no getting out of it now. "Fine, I'll go."

"Great, Bianca get some rest we're leaving tomorrow afternoon ok." Vince leaned in to kiss her on the cheek but she pushed him away.

"What? Bro why are we leaving tomorrow I thought we'd at least have a couple days together."

"B I promised Mom that I'd have you home by Saturday and its already Wednesday tomorrow but don't worry, Ronnie and I will stay for a few days before coming back, you and I will have plenty of time."

Bianca pouted, "Fine, I'll see you in the morning."

Vince walked out the door in search of Ronnie who had conveniently slipped out of the room. He found her downstairs in his room pulling on one of his tshirts. "What are you doing down here?" he asked, removing his clothing and slipping under the covers.

She walked around the room picking up their clothes and putting them in the hamper, "getting ready for bed what does it look like I'm doing?" she asked as she applied lotion to her long tan legs.

"Hmm You need some help with that?" he leaned up towards the foot of the bed and the end of her leg.

"Cool it sparky." She smirked pushing him back towards the bed with her foot.

"You make it so hard" he growled.

"Trust me I know, I felt just how hard I make it." She giggled slipping under the covers next to him, "God that is going to be one long ass trip, with a hormonal pregnant woman and you , I'm gonna achieve sainthood by the end of this."

Vince rolled his eyes in the darkness, "my aren't we dramatic tonight"

"Well pumpkin you do bring out the best in me. Am I going to have to be your girlfriend?" she rolled over dramatically to face him.

He rolled over mimicking her, "Not if you don't want to, it would only be for what a week tops and its not like we have to kiss or have sex, maybe an occasional hug or ass squeeze for appearances but that's it."

She brought the side of her pillow up to her mouth to drown out her laughter, "Ok ok, I'll do it just so that you don't look like a complete idiot in front of your family, but don't go getting a false sense of security here, I'll still have to hate you at least once during our trip."

"I think I can handle it V" He pulled her into his chest, kissing the top of her head they both fell into a peaceful sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hola! Sorry it has taken me a while to update but I had some technical difficulties with my laptop.(very irritating, I'm starting to think that I have a permanent laptop jinx!) Hope you all enjoy this chapter and more to come soon, I promise, the next good bit is already written and I've started writing the ending it's just the middle I'm still working on lol. Please review, I know you guys are reading so give me a little shout about what you think about the story as a whole, your favorite bit, where you think it should go….all of the above! Love you all! **

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"Oh my God Vince how much longer?!" Ronnie exhaled loudly shifting in the passenger seat for the hundredth time in the past 5 minutes.

"Yea Vince, how much longer cause I'm hungry and I need to pee." Bianca added from the backseat.

They had been driving for a solid 24 hours and were almost halfway there, the entire trip had been a constant chick fest full of baby talk and things that he never needed nor wanted to know. "We're in Missouri and there is a hotel right here so we're stopping." He exclaimed a little louder than he had planned.  
"Vince that hotel looks awfully expensive." Ronnie said eyeing up the hotel as they drove up.

"I don't care; at this point I would pay a million dollars just to be away from you two for five minutes." He grumbled getting out of the car and walking towards the hotel lobby.

The girls followed, Bianca with a pink overnight bag and Ronnie with Vince's duffel bag and her rolling bag , "God I hope he's not going to be pissy all night." Ronnie sighed as she and Bianca made their way into the hotel.

"Eh, he's not that bad" Bianca told her in what she hoped was a reassuring tone

"You don't have to sleep with him." Ronnie quipped.

"You know I can hear you." Vince ground out walking over to them with two keycards in hand. "Here Bianca you're room 802, Ronnie and I are down the hall 818, you two go on up I have to go get my bag out of the car."

"Here, I brought it." Ronnie held out Vince's duffle bag.

"How sweet."

Ronnie rolled her eyes at his remark and just grabbed his hand and started to drag him towards the elevator that Bianca had already gone up in. They walked into the room and dropped their bags on the floor. Ronnie flopped on the bed and watched as Vince walked around inspecting all of the different things the room had to offer.

"Are you going to be grouchy all night?"

He looked her with a blank stare, "No" he answered snidely to which her eyebrows shot up.

"Excuse me but that didn't sound very non grouchy to me, if you want me to leave and stay with your sister then I will because I'm not going to deal with your foul attitude." She barked getting up to leave the room.

She stormed past him heading for the door but he grabbed her arm before she could get there, "I think we're all just a little worn out ok. I'm not grouchy just tired and my arm hurts like a bitch"

Ronnie sighed and relaxed under his hold turning her body to face him, "yea you're right."

"I don't think a woman has ever said that to me before." He smirked.

She rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist, "yea well don't get used to it. I read something about a gym while you were checking in."

Vince nodded as he watched her walk towards her bag and pull out her gym clothes. She loved to run, it calmed her ,why it did he didn't understand but after she went running there was always a calm in her eyes. "You should shower while I'm gone" she called from the bathroom where she was changing.

He leaned against the doorjamb and watched her in the mirror as she pulled on her long sleeve tshirt, "Why, do I smell?"

She giggled bending over to pick up her clothes before standing up and catching Vince mid gaze and bottom lip caught between his teeth, "keep your eyes in your head Vincent."

"I can't help it, I love those shorts. All spandexy and wonderful" his eyes never left her lower half while she faced the mirror to put her hair up in a messy bun.

She turned around and swatted at him, "you're a whore you know that? Anyway the shower will help your arm, hot water will ease some of the tension."

_What about the other tension I'm feeling…_ he thought to himself but thought better of verbalizing it, "yea maybe you're right." She started to walk past him and out of the bathroom but he caught her again and held her flush against his chest, his arms circled around her hips and lightly rested on the swell of her ass, "Or you could stay here and walk around in those shorts, make me very not grouchy" he rumbled pulling her closer and pressing his growing erection into her lower stomach.

She gasped, slightly taken aback at his forwardness but mostly turned on by the whole situation, she prayed that he didn't feel her nipples harden underneath the thin material of her sports bra and even thinner t-shirt but when one of his hands left her ass to graze across her breast she knew he did. "Tempting as that is." She pushed away from him and grabbed her shoes, "I think I'll just hit the gym." She picked up her key and dashed out of the room whispering to herself, "God help me"

An hour later Vince emerged from the steaming bathroom only to find Ronnie lying across the head of the bed sketching in her sketchbook, his heart began to race as he remembered what he had been doing just minutes before, what he had been doing loudly."How was your run?" He asked testing to see if she would immediately make fun of him. No answer, "Ronnie?"….still nothing, she was ignoring him. He crawled up the bed towards her, mindful of the towel around his waist he carefully laid down resting his head on the small of her back.

Her body jerked and she looked over her shoulder only to find Vince's eyes on her. It was then that he saw the cords coming from her ears and realized she hadn't been ignoring him but listening to music. "Hey, how was the shower?"

"Good, you were right the heat helped, how was the run." He replied as he ran his hand up and down the back of her legs.

She tossed her book and pencil onto the side table before rolling over and letting Vince resituate his head on her stomach, "it was relaxing except for this one guy in there, he was kind of creeping me out."

"want me to kill him?" he questioned seriously.

Ronnie ran her fingers over his hair, "No I think I'll be good and the last thing I need is for you to get thrown in jail."

He rolled over and buried his face in her abdomen moaning slightly as she giggled, "How can one person be so comfortable?"

"It's all the pasta." She replied. She moved out from under Vince and made her way to her bag.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to go take a shower, I feel sweaty and gross and you need to put some clothes on." She grabbed her clothes and dodged into the bathroom before he could protest. The hot water felt amazing as it pounded down on her back, she made quick work of washing her hair and body , anxious to crawl into bed and curl around Vince. Something about this whole road trip and meeting Vince's family put a damper on her gypsy nomadic ways and suddenly she felt the yearn of stability pulling at her heart. She reluctantly turned off the hot water and pulled herself away from the shower, drying herself gingerly before slipping into her boyshorts and night gown. She removed her makeup, applied her lotion and ignored her damp hair opting to risk the cold her mother always swore she would get for not drying her hair.

Vince looked up when he heard the bathroom door open and Ronnie walk out, he loved the way she looked when she was completely devoid of makeup and her hair was a mess, she looked natural, uninhibited, attainable.

Ronnie caught him staring and blushed slightly, "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing, you're just beautiful" he smiled genuinely, loving the fact that his gaze had that effect on her.

Ronnie shook her head and chuckled softly, "You're a mess you know that."

"Yea I know."

She walked around the room turning off lights and the television, she felt her way back to the bed and climbed in immediately seeking out Vince's warmth. He was slightly surprised when she wrapped herself around him , it was usually him that was slowly inching closer throughout the night, taking liberties with her semi conscious states, but this time it was her that crawled quietly into the bed and reached out for him and laid her head on his chest .

"Are you alright?" he questioned and immediately wished he could take it back when he felt her head lift off of his chest.

"Yes, just tired, but you make a very good pillow." She laid her head back down and he could feel her smiling, then she did something completely unexpected, she placed one soft perfect kiss to his chest right over his heart, "Good night Vince."

"Goodnight Veronica."

The next morning the sun seeped in through the window shades at what Ronnie was certain was an ungodly hour, she squirmed in an attempt to shield her eyes with Vince's side but somehow ended up laying completely on top of him, "Make it go away!"

Vince pulled the covers up from where they pooled at his feet and wrapped his arms around her waist, "if the sun makes you do this it can stay."

She grumbled and rolled off of him to fetch her clothing for the day, "Fine be an asshole, I'm changing and you better be ready to go when I'm done, and call your sister."

Half an hour later she emerged dressed in a short flowing sundress only to find Vince still in bed and snoring lightly, "I'm going to kill him." She muttered to herself.

"Vince wake up, we have to get going." She shook his body in an attempt to wake him, she had given him 15 more minutes to sleep so she could pack and call Bianca in peace, but now they really did need to leave.

"can't we just stay here, you on top like earlier."

She grinned as he rolled over, "No, come on we really do need to go"

He got out of the bed and she was surprised to see him dressed, "You didn't look like that a while ago."

"Nope I got dressed then went back to bed." He smirked as he grabbed their bags and made his way to the door, "will you get this door for me, I've kinda got my hands full."

Ronnie grabbed her purse and walked towards him, "Sure thing sleeping beauty." She grabbed for the door but he stopped her by propping his foot against the wall opposite him and blocking her way. She turned to glare at him but found him smiling. "I like this dress, you look gorgeous, and thank you again for doing this it really means a lot to me."

She couldn't help it, she got caught up in the moment of Vince's sincerity and before she knew it she was leaning in towards him, breath caught in her throat but it was too late to back down now, she leaned in the rest of the way and slowly their lips met softly. Ronnie moved closer, placing her hand on his still hoisted thigh so as to gain leverage as she ascended to her tippy toes for a better reach. Vince wanted to drop the bags and touch her in some way, any way possible but one sweep of her sweet tongue across his lips and he lost all sense and for whatever reason he couldn't quite fathom , he stood there doing good just to return the kiss. She took his bottom lip in between her teeth and bit lightly before she sucked the pain away, she reached her hand further up his leg and dove into his pocket retrieving the car keys, she pulled away slowly leaving feather light kisses in her wake, "I'll drive first today."

"Uh huh"

She pushed his leg down and opened the door, coming face to face with Bianca, "Bring the bags ok babe"

"Uh huh"

"What did you do to him?" Bianca questioned, looking back at Vince as he idly followed behind the girls.

"I just made him less grouchy for today's adventure." She smirked and climbed into the driver's seat after letting Bianca into the back.

"Oh my god, you blew him, right there by the door didn't you?" Bianca exclaimed just in time for Vince to get in the passenger seat.

Ronnie rolled her eyes, "please if that had happened he wouldn't be walking right now." She looked at Vince and smiled the way that she knew drove him mad.

Another garbled noise came from Vince sending Bianca and Ronnie into a fit of giggles as they once again hit the open road.

They had just crossed into Illinois with Ronnie still at the wheel, Vince was asleep lounged across the front seat with his feet in Ronnie's lap and Bianca was humming softly along with the radio.

"What is it supposed to be like?" Bianca asked suddenly.

Ronnie looked at Bianca in the rearview mirror, "What is what supposed to be like?"

"Sex."

Ronnie checked to be absolutely certain that Vince was asleep before continuing on with the conversation, "Bianca I think you got the sex thing down."

"It was my first time, I can't believe I was so stupid to get knocked up my first time." She said softly.

Ronnie's heart could have broken at that very second, the dejected sound in Bianca's voice was the saddest thing she had ever heard

"It hurt and I felt so stupid, I didn't know what I was doing, then it was over and all he did was say thank you and left."

The sudden clenching of Vince's fist caught Ronnie's eye and she knew he was awake and listening.

"Ronnie, what was your first time like?"

Ronnie laughed, "B, it was awful! I was 16 and dating this guy right before I moved to LA, I didn't really like him that much but I dated him because I wanted to have sex just to get the first time over with and it was bad, it hurt like a bitch and then he wanted to cuddle afterwards and all I wanted to do was take a shower. It was awkward because he didn't know it was my first time and just bad very, very bad."

"That makes me feel better."

"yea well I didn't have sex for a long time after that, but when I did I was really crazy about the guy and it was different and amazing and the whole idea of sex being better when you really care about someone is not the crock of shit I once believed it to be."

Bianca smiled at the prospect of a meaningful encounter, "You think I'll ever get the chance to be with someone like that?"

Ronnie ran her hand up and down Vince's twitching leg, "Yea and when you meet him this guy won't even matter except for the fact that he gave you a beautiful little baby."

"You really think so?"

"Of course."

Vince stirred out of his 'sleep', "what are you two talking about?"

Bianca's eyes widened and she quickly blurted out, "Nothing just tampons and girl stuff."

He looked at Ronnie with a raised brow, which she returned; he quickly realized he had been caught eavesdropping.

"Where are we anyway?" he questioned.

"Illinois, we've made good time since you've been sleeping but I'm about ready for a pit stop, I can't feel my ass anymore."

"I could feel it for you." Vince offered.

"Gross Vince, can't you be awake for five seconds without trying to fondle her" Bianca exclaimed from the backseat.

"We have also just crossed the border into hormoneland." Ronnie giggled at the stunned expression Vince wore in response to Bianca's outburst.

Ronnie pulled the car into a McDonald's parking lot and watched as Bianca took off in search of the bathroom. She got out of the car and met Vince by the trunk.

"What do you need out of there?" he asked when she popped the trunk open.

Ronnie dug through one of the numerous bags before withdrawing her hand, clasping a bag of blow pops. "Lollipops, I'm having a candy craving." She smiled.

"Craving? Don't tell me you're pregnant too." His smirked at his own joke.

Ronnie rolled her eyes as she ripped the wrapper from a cherry flavored lollipop, "Relax Vince, you're a good kisser but I don't think anyone is that good."

"I wanted to ask you about that, why did you kiss me?" he questioned hesitantly, almost afraid of the answer.

He watched her suck on the candy as she contemplated an answer, "I knew we were going to have to kiss at some point in time this week and I just don't think that first kisses should be planned or in front of your mother."

"Well it was a good surprise." He smiled moving closer to her and resting his hands on her hips.

She removed the candy from her mouth and draped her free hand around his neck, "I thought so."

He closed the gap between them, kissing her softly, gently testing the waters. It was an exploratory kiss, meant to figure out what Ronnie liked, biting and sucking seemed to be her two favorites, a gentle biting of her bottom lip then the soft swipe of tongue sent her into a quick frenzy.

"Excuse me"

Ronnie and Vince broke apart slowly and turned towards Bianca. "What Bianca?" Vince growled tightening his grip on Ronnie.

Bianca looked down, when she met the couples' eyes again there were tears in her own. Ronnie slapped Vince on the chest, "Dumbass" she mumbled. "B, ignore him he's just mad because I won't give him road head."

Bianca giggled as they got in the car, "That's disgusting."

"I refuse for his own good, could you imagine? One speed bump and your shits gone, teeth are a bitch." Ronnie replied matter of factly.

Vince laughed as he started the car, "Ya know I never thought about it like that, but you're completely right, there was this one time"

"If you ever want to see me naked, you will stop right there."

"Point taken."

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	10. Chapter 10

**New chapter, kind of short but here it is! I'm getting into a bit of a writer's block phase so it may be a bit before the next chapter my apologies in advance….please review(not too many from the last chapter) love you all, adios!**

7 that night they finally pulled up to the large blue beach house that Bianca called home.

"Wow it's gorgeous."

"Yea home sweet home." Bianca replied walking towards the stairs that led up to the front door.

Vince walked over to Ronnie, "You ok?"

"Yea, just kind of nervous, I mean I know it's not like a for real thing but still parents make me nervous."

"Vince?" A soft voice called from the top of the steps.

Ronnie watched as Vince smiled softly, "you are such a Momma's boy." She laughed.

"Yea, yea." He mumbled dragging her up the steps.

When they reached the top of the steps Ronnie was met with a woman several inches taller than her with short dirty blonde hair, highlighted with streaks of gray.

"You must be Ronnie, I'm Layla, Vince has told me not enough about you, but he did say you are gorgeous and he certainly wasn't lying about that."

"Mom" Vince grumbled blushing.

"It's nice to meet you Layla." Ronnie smiled returning the hug that Vince's mom gave her before ushering her towards an even taller heavily tattooed man.

"This is my husband Sean."

"Nice to meet you." Sean said quietly while shaking Ronnie's hand. "Vince how did you manage this?" he chuckled giving Vince a hug.

"She couldn't resist the coyote charms."

The three women of the group exchanged a look before giggling, "Yea right Vince, by coyote charm you mean scruff and the stench of dirty gym socks, I'm sorry to inform you that that is in fact highly resistible." Bianca stated.

The group sat down around the outdoor fireplace on the patio, "So Ronnie how exactly did you and Vince meet?" Layla questioned, interested in how her son had managed to find someone that could actually hold his attention.

"Um well we went to high school together and had mutual friends but we didn't know each other and a few months ago we met through the same mutual friends and just kind of hit it off I guess."

"It's a shame it took you two so long to get together." Sean said softly.

"Well in all honesty I'm not sure he could have handled me back then, I had a blue Mohawk and pierced nipples."

Vince choked on the swig of beer he had just taken, "Pierced nipples?"

"Did that hurt?" Bianca questioned.

"Yea but it kinda worked for me." Ronnie smiled at Vince's mother who was currently giggling.

"Ronnie, you can stay. You're the first girl Vince has ever dated that I didn't feel like punching in the face." Layla clasped Ronnie's hand momentarily before standing up. "Why don't you kids come on inside and I'll show you your room."

"Mom why don't you just take Ronnie on up, I'm gonna finish this beer and grab something to eat then I'll be up."

"Sure thing sweetie" Layla got up and headed for the door into the house.

"I'll only be a few minutes." Vince said softly to Ronnie as he squeezed her knee gently.

She smiled and kissed him lightly, "Ok."

Vince concluded that Ronnie kissing him was going to take some getting used to, but it was something he could definitely get comfortable with. He watched her sway into the house behind his Mother until they were both out of sight.

"Man, you have got it so bad." Sean chuckled loudly as Vince's cheeks took on an interesting shade of pink.

Ronnie followed Layla up the stairs and into the guest room at the top of the stairs. She walked into the room and immediately fell in love.

"Layla this is gorgeous." She said as she took in the spacious room complete with bathroom and balcony. "And this bed is huge." She exclaimed.

"Yea well this is supposed to be like living a vacation everyday and that includes my son when he decides to visit and especially when he brings his girlfriend." Layla smiled that soft Mom smile that made Ronnie tear up at the memory of her own mother.

"Oh no honey are you ok?" Layla questioned after seeing Ronnie's eyes.

Ronnie sniffed and smiled, "Yea you just remind me of my Mom, we were really close but she died when I was 16, breast cancer."

Layla embraced the girl in a strong hug, "anytime you need a stand-in you call me in ok."

Ronnie exhaled deeply, before genuinely returning the embrace, "thank you that really means a lot."

"Are you two having a lifetime moment already?"

Ronnie laughed loudly, "Babe, way to ruin a moment." She giggled.

"Sorry I just thought you might want this." He smirked setting down there bags.

"Oh thanks, it would have been kind of hard to take a shower without something to wear afterwards."

"I wouldn't have been complaining." Vince growled.

"Wow that is my cue to leave, I would prefer it if my baby would remain my baby." Layla smiled and kissed Vince's cheek before leaving them alone.

"Your mom is amazing, she reminds me of mine so much, it's a little uncanny."

"She's a good lady, put up with my sorry ass all these years."

Ronnie walked over to where Vince was standing in the doorway and wrapped her arms around his torso, "Thanks for bringing me here; I'm really glad I came."

"Me too" he replied softly before leaning down and pressing his lips firmly to hers, it was a soft kiss without any intention other than pure unadulterated affection.

Ronnie took her time in the shower, enjoying her time in a normal sized bathroom as opposed to the miniature one at the hotel they had stayed at the night before. When he she finally emerged Vince was sitting on the bed playing one of the many guitars that was in their room.

"What are you eating?" She questioned seeing the sandwich hanging from Vince's mouth.

"PBJ" he looked up and saw the anticipation in her eyes, "Wanna bite" when she nodded quickly he held out the sandwich towards her, instead of taking it she simply took a bite and smiled.

"'Hmm good." She mumbled

"You up for the beach tomorrow?" He asked as he set the guitar down on the side of bed.

"The beach?"

He laughed at her hopeful glance, "yes, the beach." he replied from the bathroom where he was taking his turn getting ready for bed.

He turned back around and found her standing on top of the bed, "What are you doing?"

He walked over to her removing his clothes along the way, "I was going to jump on the bed but I thought that might be a little immature."

"You are fucking adorable." He laughed.

She smiled and leapt into his arms, wrapping her legs around his middle, "I was going for fucking sexy but I'll take what I can get." She pulled at his hair, tilting his head back and ran her lips lightly over his, then replacing her lips as she drug her tongue over his mouth. "You taste like peanut butter." She giggled as he sat down on the bed with her still wrapped around him.

"Tomorrow night I'm going to go to Sean's shop for a while. You can come too if you want."

His statement was quiet and his eyes concentrated on her neck avoiding her gaze like a scared puppy.

"Does he work on cars too?" she questioned continuing to play with his hair as he leaned back against the pillows with her still in his lap.

"No, he's a tattoo artist, owns his own shop." He was running his hands up and down her back but stopped when she suddenly gasped.

"Do you think he would tattoo me, I've wanted a new one for years but I'm very particular about who does my work."

"New one? I didn't know you had old ones."

"That's because they are well hidden."

He began pulling at the hem of her gown, "well let me see."

She giggled at his ministrations, "OK, ok stop groping me I'll show you!" she lifted up her nightgown and pulled down the side of her boy shorts revealing a cross on the left side of her lower back , "that one" then she pulled down the front slightly, "This one was a bet that I lost" she smiled as she revealed red lips on the front of her right hip, "and this one" she said as she stood up , turned around and sat down on his lap with her back to him she pulled her hair up off the back of neck displaying a pink ribbon.

"Your mom?" he asked softly.

"Yea" she replied turning back around and nestling her face in his neck before biting a particularly sensitive spot playfully.

He groaned loudly before pulling her face up so he could kiss her lips hungrily. "We really should have started doing this a long time ago" he said in between kisses.

She moaned in response as his tongue entered her mouth, his hands trailed down the front of her body stopping briefly to tweak her taut nipples before working his way to her ass, he squeezed playfully ,what he didn't anticipate was her consequently grinding against his ever hardening erection.

"Shit" he cursed.

She ran her hands across his head scratching his scalp lightly, "tell me about it" she panted.

He reached for her again and thrust his tongue into her mouth; he loved the way she tasted, the way her tongue felt against his, the way he imagined it would feel against other parts of his body. His hands found their way to the hem of her nightgown once more as he began lifting it off of her body.

Much to his dismay she stopped him suddenly before he got his hands on anything good. "Vince stop."

"What? Why?" he stumbled over his words in his dazed fog.

"We can't have sex in your mother's house." She argued climbing off of him and onto her side trying to ignore the tent in his lap.

He rolled over on top of her, "Why not, she's a sex therapist she's gonna be worried if we don't."

She laughed at the pathetic expression on his face, "no"

He rolled back over and flicked off the lights, "Fine"

"Is she really a sex therapist?"

"Yes" he grumbled.

They lay in silent darkness for a good ten minutes before she heard a smug 'hmpf' come from his side of the bed.

"What is that all about" she asked.

"You said we couldn't have sex in this house."

"So"

"So that means that you've thought about having sex with me, no one said hey lets have sex you just assumed which means that you've thought about it before." He smiled knowing he had caught her off guard.

She interrupted his smug thoughts quickly, "I've been thinking about you naked since that day at the store, you were all sweaty and brooding, I wanted to throw you on the floor and ride you off into the sunset."

"Veronica, that's not nice."

She grinned into the darkness before rolling towards him and snuggling into his side, "I thought it was very nice."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everyone!!! So sorry it's been literally months since I've updated this story but I have found myself very unispired these past few months but I'm pushing through and just writing with the hopeful wishes that it doesn't suck entirely so please be patient with me if it does in fact suck! **

**I would also like to just say thank you to all of you that have continued to comment during this little bit of off time, It's really been a huge factor in me shaking off the funk and getting back into the groove of it all. **

**Without further delay this is the latest slightly fluffy installment of ….He gives good face.**

**Enjoy**

**Review**

**Besos!**

The next morning Ronnie awoke to Bianca shaking her lightly. "Come on, get dressed in my room so you don't wake the beast." Bianca whispered as she pulled Ronnie from the bed.

Ronnie mumbled something that resembled 'be right there', grabbed her bikini, and followed Bianca out of the room. When Vince finally stumbled out of bed everyone was sitting around the huge island that sat in the middle of the kitchen, "Hi baby!" Ronnie exclaimed as she hugged Vince.

"Why are you so chipper, you hate mornings?" he asked around the orange slice she had fed him.

"well your mom was just showing me some old pictures, you were so cute." She giggled as she held up one particularly incriminating picture of a young Vince naked in a super hero cape.

"Moooooommmmm" he whined loudly.

"Vince, you were once adorable, get over it." Layla called as she and Sean left to get dressed for the day.

"I'm going to head on down to the beach, see you guys in a bit" Bianca waved as she walked onto the porch and down the steps that led straight to the beach.

Vince looked around the corner to make sure that everyone had in fact disappeared before he descended upon Ronnie, "Why are you looking at me like that?" she giggled at his devious expression.

"I am very anxious to see the bikini hiding under that ugly tshirt." He nuzzled her neck whilst trying to pry the shirt from her body.

"dumbass this is your shirt!" she exclaimed batting away his hands.

"Your point?"

She rolled her eyes , "come on, I want to get down to the beach before all the annoying high school kids get there."

They walked down to the beach quietly holding hands and searching for Bianca, "Hey Lovebirds I'm over here!" Bianca yelled as the couple passed her.

"Sorry B, didn't see ya there." Vince smirked

"I'll let it slide but just this once." Bianca giggled as Ronnie layed out the oversized two person towel she had for her and Vince , he sat down and flicked his shoes off his feet before looking up at Ronnie who was currently removing her over sized tshirt and slowly revealing a tiny white bikini.

"Oh I like this." Vince mumbled under his breath.

Ronnie didn't notice Vince stop all movement to stare at her, she continued putting her shirt and shoes away and digging out her tanning lotion from her bag, she then lathered all the bits she could reach before turning towards Vince. "Babe, will you get my back?" he didn't reply , that was when she noticed him staring intently at her chest, she threw the bottle of lotion at him, "VINCE!" the bottle hit him in the chest with a loud smack.

"What the hell Ver-on-i-ca?!" he sounded out.

She laughed at his offended facial expression, "Get my back dumbass."

A Wolfish grin adorned his face, "Vince whatever you're thinking stop." Bianca chided from her spot next to him.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned.

"Well big brother, everytime you get that expression on your face it usually ends with trouble."

Vince tried to wipe the naughty thoughts out of his mind and set his sights on Ronnie and her back.

The day passed slowly, Veronica tortured Vince by adjusting her bikini and almost revealing herself everytime, he had taken many a cold dip in the ocean by the end of the day.

"You're an evil genius you know that." Bianca giggled as she and Ronnie watched Vince walk towards the water.

"What I don't want huge ugly tan lines on my back." Ronnie smirked knowing very well what she was doing. "Besides he is so easy to rile up."

That night Vince met Ronnie at the bottom of the steps outside the beach house, he watched her as she climbed into the car her denim cut off shorts showed off her newly bronzed legs in a way that he loved. She carried herself differently; there was a calm about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"You ok?" He asked when he stopped the car in front of the tattoo shop.

She turned towards him, "Yea, why?"

"You just seem different is all." He unbuckled himself and turned in his seat to face her.

She mirrored his actions. "I don't know, I just feel happy and peaceful, it's weird. Do you think your mom likes me?" she asked suddenly changing the subject.

Vince laughed loudly at her ADD personality. "Trust me, she likes you, I think she would like you better if you would stop teasing me though."

She rolled her eyes, "you are full of it, come on lets go I'm anxious to get my ink on."

He followed her into the shop and watched as one of Sean's artists meet her at the front desk.

"How can I help you?" he was checking her out mercilessly, Vince wanted to kill him.

"I'm here to see Sean." She smiled.

"and how exactly do you know an old geezer like Sean?" the guy smirked at her.

Ronnie leaned in towards the guy, "I'm banging him."

Sean's laugh interrupted the moment, he had been listening to the conversation intently and while he didn't think his artist flirting with a customer was all that amusing the look on Vince's face was.

"Carlo, this is Vince's girlfriend on over baby girl lets get that wrist set up." Sean ushered Ronnie over to his already set up station and sat her down for the rose tattoo she was getting on her wrist while Vince kept an up close and personal watch on Carlo.

Ronnie chuckled lightly at Vince as Sean began his work. "He is a mess."

Sean nodded, "Yea he is but you're still with him in spite of it."

Ronnie smiled "I think its because of it."

"Yea well when he is done rearranging the face of every man that ever looks at you remember that sentiment. What is with him anyway? He seems quite pissy." He questioned as he began working on her wrist.

"He is just mad because I told him we couldn't have sex in the house, he says that its ok because Layla is a sex therapist but I say bullshit."

Sean laughed loudly causing Vince to break his concentration on Carlo and walk towards Sean and Ronnie. "You guys almost done?" he asked pulling up a chair and turning it around before plopping down.

"Yea with the outline but we've still got color left, maybe 30 more minutes." Sean replied.

"You need anything baby?" Vince tucked a loose piece of hair behind Ronnie's ear as he waited for her response.

"Umm maybe some water."

"It's in the back Vince, you know where." Sean told Vince, he watched him walk away before turning on Ronnie, "Seriously you've got that boy wrapped around your finger."

"yea well he's got me wrapped around his too, but don't tell him that."

Vince came back and sat with Ronnie making idle chatter until Sean finally finishd "Alright girl I think that is it."

Ronnie looked at her wrist in awe, "It's amazing Sean really thank you." She hugged him tightly.

"You guys going back to the house?" Sean questioned as he tore down his station.

"Yea, see what Mom made for dinner, I'm starving." Vince replied rubbing his belly as he yawned.

"Nah, you're mom and sister went out tonight, shopping, dinner and a movie they wont be back till real late and I won't get in till after 1 so you two are on your own." Sean smiled and said his goodbyes leaving Vince and Ronnie to find their way out of the shop.

"He really did do a good job on you." Vince said softly as he led Ronnie to the car.

"Yea he did, I really love getting tattooed, especially when it's a good piece." She smiled deviosly, it made Vince nervous.

"are you ok." He asked putting her in the car.

"Just fine." She replied once he himself was in the car.

They rode back to the house in silence which terrified Vince, this was the way horror movies started out, most definitely not the way he wanted to go out.

Vince pulled up to the house and got out of the car closely followed by Ronnie who grabbed his hand and lightly began tugging him towards the stairs, he barely got the front door closed behind him when Ronnie shoved him into it hard and pressed herself against him kissing him as if he were the last man on earth.

He stood against the door in shocked spledor then it clicked, he pushed Ronnie back gently, "You're one of those horny tattoo people arent you?"

She chuckled softly, "hmm maybe I am." She nipped his botton lip playfully.

He laughed , "what about" he started but she interrupted him with a sharp bite on his neck.

"uh huh remember everyone is gone until late." She licked the tender bite softly, "Come on Vince." She grabbed his hand and drug him up the stairs to their room.

"Ronnie" he groaned when she removed her top and pressed her bare chest against his shirt clad one.

"what?" she giggled as she pulled his shirt up and over his head before kissing his chest softly.

"is this some test like I'm supposed to be respecting your honor or something." He asked still keeping his hands to himself in slight fear of screwing this up.

"Relax , this is the real deal."

He exhaled loudly before tangling his hand in her hair tightly and grabbing her ass with the other as he crashed his lips against hers, when he pulled away he saw her smirk in the moonlight, "now there is the Vince I know."

He grunted and pushed her hips lightly towards the bed forcing her to fall backwards onto it , he climbed over her leaning down and grasping her right nipple in between his teeth before sucking it wholey into his mouth. Ronnie moaned and ran her hand down his chest quickly unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans enough to get her small hand inside and around his hard erection, Vince abandoned her nipple to cry out at the sensation of Ronnie gripping him in some strange unique way he had never experienced. He tugged on her shorts until they slid down her legs and his hand found its way into her panties.

"Someone is getting a little worked up." He smirked at the moistness he found.

Ronnie ran her finger tip over the head of his cock, Vince inhaled loudly, "you're one to talk big man." She chuckled before hooking one leg around his hip and shoving them over so that she was on top. She crawled off the bed and grabbed the bottoms of his jeans tugging hard and successfully pulling them off of crawled back up him slowly stopping at his underwear to push them down his legs exposing the part of his anatomy that she was really after, she took hold of him and stroked him up and down with a soft firm grip, Vince began panting heavily.

"Ron, baby not that I wouldnt love for you to stay down there and do whatever it is that you're doing, if I'm not in you in about five seconds I'm going to burst, and not where I want to." He pulled her up his body , rolling them over in the process, he entered her in one slow movement, she purred in some sort of release. "You ok?" Vince asked in his shaky voice.

Ronnie moaned, "You're kidding me right?" she rolled her hips up into his, "Trust me, I'm great."

Vince chuckled deeply, his thrust were coming faster and his body was sinking onto hers, there was no space between them , they rocked back and forth as one sole unit.

Ronnie moaned loudly when Vince suddenly hit a spot inside her that she was unaware she had, she started shaking, "Vince" she called softly.

"I know me too." He panted just before he felt her tighten around him in climax, he sunk his teeth into her soft flesh where neck met shoulder to muffle his groan as he shuddered into her. He held himself above her for as long as he could before his arms gave out on him , he laid down fully on Ronnie, laying his head on her chest, listening to her heart rate come down slowly.

"You were right." She sighed after a few minutes.

Vince turned his head to look up at her, "About what?"

"My teasing was not nice at all, this was so much better and we should have done this way sooner."

Vince laughed loudly, he kissed her slowly, "You're perfect." He murmered centimeters from her lips, "Absolutely perfect."


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello all! Finally after what? A year hiatus I have updated! YAY! Now this chapter is extremely short and a bit of a filler because for the past few months I've been working on the ending bit of the story and now that part has completely taken over my creative process and I needed a quick way to mesh the two so that the story could get moving again. Moving on….here is the next bit and I will also be posting another chapter tonight, enjoy my lovelies and please review!**

**P.S. Thank to those new and old faithful followers who have continued to read the story, besos!**

The next morning came too quickly for Ronnie, the sun blinded her when it came flooding in through the open balcony doors of her and Vince's room.

"Vince, close the fucking door." She groaned loudly in his general direction.

Vince peered his head in the room from the bathroom, "What's wrong with you?" he questioned.

"I'm exhausted, I was doing good until you woke me up for round two."

"Yea but three and four were all on you."

The sound of Ronnie giggling wafted into the bathroom and Vince was assured that her crankiness was over, "can we get beer and go to the beach?" Vince looked in the bathroom mirror and saw Ronnie's arms appear around his middle.

"Yea we could do that." He smiled.

"Ok good, I'm going downstairs to eat."

Two hours later Ronnie and Vince were beginning to burn and more than a bit tipsy laying all over each other in the sand. "We're leaving tomorrow right?" Ronnie hiccupped.

"Uh huh." Vince moaned, he had been watching her readjust her bikini top for the third time. "Could you please stop doing that?"

Ronnie looked up, "Doing what?"

Vince sat up and mauled her tits slightly, " this, this squeezing your tits in front of my face like you don't even know what its doing."

Ronnie smirked and crawled over Vince's lap to straddle him tightly, "I'm sorry baby, did you want to go back up stairs and I'll show you the real thing?"

"Sounds amazing."

The next day they flew back to LA, and lived happily ever after.

Happily ever after for 60 days until day 61 when Vince woke up and Ronnie was gone, all of her things were still in the basement that she had moved into with him, but her body, her warmth next to him in their bed, it was gone.

She left no note, no forwarding address, nothing. Her phone was disconnected and no one had any idea of where she had gone too, she just vanished leaving a wake of distress behind her.


	13. Chapter 13

2 Years Later.

Vince walked into the store and sat down heavily on a bar stool, for the past few days he couldn't get Veronica out of his head, he swore he could smell her perfume every time he went into the store, the garage, even the fort, Calvin Klein something or other, he still had a bottle of it that she had left behind.

Dom appeared from the back office a look of relief adorning his features.

"How is it that you look like you just got the weight of the world lifted off your shoulders and I feel like shit."

Dom smiled, "Well because my problems left town this morning and you're just a sorry fucker all the time."

"Thanks for the sympathy" he grumbled pushing past Dom to get a drink, but something stopped him. He backtracked and stood toe to toe with Dom before leaning forward and inhaling Dom's scent.

"You turnin into Letty all of a sudden?" Dom laughed.

"You saw her?" he asked incredulously.

"What are you talking about?"

"How long Dom?" Vince questioned growing even more irritated.

"How long what?" Dom responded playing stupid.

"How long have you known where she is, how long was she here, how long have I been making a fool out of myself while everyone else knew what the fuck was going on?" he yelled pushing the other man across the room.

Dom's temper got the best of him and his voice escalated, "I've always known, she was here for a week and your entire fucking life, Vince she's got a lot of shit going on in her life so don't fuck this up because you miss getting ass!" he yelled back accentuating each point with a shove to Vince's chest.

"Dom, we're supposed to be best friends, you've watched me be miserable for 2 years waiting for her to come back, you watched me buy that stupid house on the beach, thinking that she would come back to me, how could you let me do that while you knew exactly what was going on." Vince shook his head in disbelief, he walked out of the store got in his car and drove.

It was midnight before he decided he needed to know exactly what had been happening for the past 2 years, he pulled up to Dom's house, the old fort and saw Dom sitting on the front porch with a cooler full of beer waiting for him.

"You ready to have a conversation like a big boy?" Dom smirked as he handed Vince one of the beers.

Vince didn't say anything just drank and listened.

"It started in high school, when her mom died and she got shipped out here her oldest brother was here for a week to set her up. He tracked me down after school one day, we worked out a deal, he paid me to watch out for her."

"Like a bodyguard?" Vince interrupted.

"Yea like a bodyguard, she was pissed when she found out but then she got to be friends with Letty and it wasn't such a big deal, when she graduated she didn't really need me anymore and that's when our relationship ended but then she met Mia and yadda yadd."

"OK that still doesn't explain where she is now."

"Two months after you guys got back she got a phone call, her dad was killed. This time it was safer for her to be back in New York. Her brothers they are supposed to take over, that's the way it works but they can't do it alone, just a bunch of lap dogs ya know not enough brain power to really take charge, They needed her, would never say that but they did. She's sneaky as shit, half the stuff they pulled back in the day was her idea, she'll never get the public recognition in their world but everyone knows its her running things, she gets the respect she deserves."

"How come you didn't tell me." Vince questioned, unsure if he wanted to hear the real answer.

"Vince, she's different now. Shes cold, hard, that life has gotten to her, she doesn't even look the same anymore." Dom sighed, hating to have to be the one to tell his best friend this news.

"Is she safe?"

"Safe is relative."

"You know what I mean."

Dom chuckled lightly, "Yea I know, she's ok .She can take care of herself but she hooked up with my cousin Taylor he's in the business, took a liking to her."

"What do you mean took a liking to her."

Dom nodded, "They've been together for a while."

Vince's heart broke; he always thought that for some reason she would come back to him. "Shit."

"Bro it's not exactly what you think, it's not like they're getting married, they don't do commitment but sometimes you just need someone, another warm body at night and they trust each other so it works for them."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Vince questioned rhetorically before continuing, "What was she doing out here anyway?"

"She had some business to take care of, Taylor came along for protection." Dom replied tossing his empty bottle into the yard and digging out another.

"So that was your business meeting you ran off to last week?" Vince smirked.

"Yea."

"I can't believe everyone knew except me." His voice was pained and Dom felt guilty as hell, but he knew it was the right thing to keep Ronnie's secret.

"She was scared; she left you when she didn't want to. She always leaves people not literally but you know what I mean, she leaves before they can leave her and you were the first guy she actually wanted to stick around for and life forced her to leave, she didn't want to admit that or have to see with her own two eyes how much she tore you up."

"I know I should be pissed at her, hate her, never want to see her again but I think I miss her even more."

New York

"Damn it Taylor, you need to learn to control your temper, that deal was golden until you and your big fucking ego had to step in." she grumbled as she ran her hands through her chin length hair.

"Well fuck me Ronnie if I thought that the guy undressing you with his eyes might not be the best guy to do business with."

"Yea well you undress me with your hands and I still do business with you." She smirked when she saw his lips twitch into an almost smile.

"Baby you enjoy every minute of it."

"Yea I do" she agreed, "Come on, Matty will shit if he doesn't hear about it soon." her firm stoic expression reappeared on her delicate features as she led him into his best friend's restaurant.

He guided her through the patrons, his hand never leaving the lowest curve of her back. They sat in a booth across from Matty and Scarpa, Ronnie prepared herself for the out lash that was about to occur.

When she moved back to New York two years ago and hooked up with Dom's cousin Taylor she convinced the two families to combine, both were weak ,Taylor's with the death of Matty's father and hers with the death of her own father, the two families became allies with Matty as the head of one, and Ronnie the neck of both, turning the families anyway she wanted.

She faintly heard Taylor telling Matty that he shot the guy they had been trying to get to export some goods for them, she heard Matty clearly telling Taylor to stop thinking with his dick which caused her to smirk in Matty's direction.

Taylor saw her, "I'm glad everyone thinks it's so fucking funny." He grumbled.

"Relax" Ronnie sighed as she ran her hand across the zipper of his jeans, he shifted to grant her better access and continued on with the conversation.

"You can't go around killing people because you don't like how they look at our associates ."

"Like hell I can't"

"Taylor just shut up and let it go." Ronnie had finally had enough of his macho attitude. "Matty we will find another way to work this out and Taylor just stop being such a dickhead all of the time."

She stood up in the booth and climbed over Taylor to get out.

She leaned against the brick wall of the restaurant, the alley way out back was quiet, too quiet. The silence left her own thoughts to reign loud and clear. Most days she felt like a complete asshole to just up and leave the only man she ever really could see a future with , she thought she was protecting him from the life she led, from the past she had but in time she realized that the only thing she was protecting Vince from was her.

The back door swung open and Taylor walked out, he took the cigarette that she offered and inhaled deeply. "You've been real quiet ever since we got back." She didnt respond so he continued, "You've been thinking about him haven't you?"

"Yea" was her meek reply.

"I told you not to see him."

"It's not like he knew I was there."

"If you really think he didn't figure out that at some point in time you had been around you're dumber than I thought you were." Taylor stubbed out the smoke and walked back inside.

"Great, advice from Taylor Reese, the absolute last fucking thing anyone needs. Especially when it's true." She mumbled following him inside and back to her own morose reality.

She knew she shouldn't have seen Vince but she missed him, missed everything about him and when she had seen Dom for lunch and he told her about races Saturday night she knew where she would be. She watched him walk through the crowd, talking to different people ,shoving away different women until he finally settled on one about her height with long dark hair like hers had once been. She knew he had moved on , why wouldn't he it had after all been two years, but what she didn't know about was the knot in his stomach when he woke up the next morning next to the nameless brunette because for a brief second he thought that he had in fact woken up next Ronnie.

Ronnie walked into the apartment that she sometimes shared with Taylor around 3 that morning. She found him laying in bed watching some late night show. "I was wondering when you'd show."

"How did you know I was here? I was in stealth mode." She asked.

"The fact that you don't even know the effect that you have on people is what makes you so damn enigmatic." He replied never diverting his gaze from the television set.

She walked around the room shedding her bag shoes and clothes before crawling into his lap and kissing him lightly, "Am I being stupid?"

"yes, you need to let him go or get him back but you can't keep playing fucking tug of war with yourself." He rumbled, he ran his hands up and down her bare back before kissing her neck softly. "I do love you though, ya know, the best way I can."

She smiled the first real smile he had seen in weeks. "I love you too baby, thank you."

The next morning she woke up tangled around his large body, "what time is it?" she mumbled from where her face was buried in his side and felt the deep chuckle rumble through his body.

"It's late, you haven't slept like that in months and even when you did it was hard work for me to get you there."

"Shut up!" she exclaimed getting out of the bed and heading towards the bathroom.


	14. Chapter 14

**New chapter! Some people have expressed feelings of confusion about the direction of the story, well….. It did jump ahead a great deal of time but it was supposed to do that for 2 reasons, 1. It was meant to be abrupt so as to really depict how abrupt Ronnie's leaving was, it was supposed to be out of the blue, and reason 2. I had a bit of writer's block while meshing the two parts of the story so needless to say the last chapter was the result. I may at some point decide to through some flashbacks in or edit/redo some bits of it. Anyway hope you guys like this new chapter, keep up with the reviewing, I know you're reading it because I see the stats and get the alerts but please take an extra second and review!**

Two months passed and Ronnie finally felt like she could see the light at the end of the Vince tunnel, she hadn't thought about him near as much as she used to, she didn't ask Dom for updates, she was moving on to a life with Taylor, a smart choice, a safe choice in her world.

Ronnie walked into Matty's restaurant clad in her normal attire of black jeans, black boots and a black top, it was turning cold in New York and she desperately wished she had not chopped all of her hair off into the short bob she now sported, "Hair would be good now, my neck is fucking freezing." She mumbled to herself as she opened the front doors.

The faces of her colleagues did little to brighten her frost bitten nerves, to the untrained eye they looked angry, pissed even, but to Ronnie they looked scared. "What's going on?" she questioned evenly.

"Ron, why don't we go outside for a couple minutes, have a chit chat." Taylor tried to usher her out the way she came.

" 'Chit chat'? Who are you, Martha mother fucking Stuart?" she glared, when he tugged at her elbow, urging her towards the door.

"Look Rimaldi, you do not want to have this conversation in front of customers." He whispered in her ear, the use of her father's last name informed her that whatever the subject matter it was in fact business related.

They came to a stop at her SUV, "Alright Taylor spill."

"You know a couple months ago when I blew off that guy's head?"

"That narrows it down. Specify."

"The guy that was going to take care of getting those guns and ammo out to California for us." He offered.

She nodded her understanding, "Yea, what about him."

"We got a new investor if you will." He hesitated; any time Taylor Reese hesitated was not a good sign.

"Taylor, what are you getting at here? You're making me nervous."

"It was going to cost us a small fortune to get that shit out there , so I talked to Dom."

Ronnie's eyes flamed but she bit her tongue.

"we hired some guys to drive our product out to L.A. in a rig, once they get there Dom and his crew are going to highjack it, drive it to our drop point , take care of the yutzs driving it and give me back our money, minus a small fee of course."

"Someone is gonna get hurt Taylor." Ronnie ground out through gritted teeth.

Taylor rolled his eyes, "They have done this before."

"It's been years Taylor, God what if something goes wrong? Last time they did this they all almost got killed! You have to call it off." She exclaimed.

"I can't, its already in progress. The truck gets there in about 5 hours." He replied calmly.

She shoved him out of her way as she climbed into the driver's seat of her SUV, "You know I hate you right now." She yelled out the window.

"I love you too pookie." He called as she drove away.

She raced through the Manhattan traffic trying desperately to get to JFK, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed quickly.

"_Hey it's Dom, I'm not here. Leave a message." _

"Shit" she cursed waiting for the beep. " YOU IDIOT! DUMBASS BASTARD, I CANT BELIEVE YOU AGREED TO THIS! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? IF YOU GUYS FUCK UP AND GET KILLED I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL JUMP OFF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AND BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!" she yelled into the phone before hanging up. "I don't think he's going to call me back." She muttered throwing her phone back into her bag.

The flight was unnervingly long, and by the time the pilot announced their final decent into Los Angeles Ronnie was ready to create a makeshift parachute out of her bra and make a run for it. She headed towards baggage claim where Mia was picking her up unbeknownst to anyone and sworn to secrecy of Ronnie's current presence. Ronnie's face lit up when she saw Mia, she embraced her strongly, "Hey girl, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Mia giggled as she hugged Ronnie.

"I can't believe they're doing this." Ronnie sighed as they walked out to the car.

"I know but there is nothing we can do now, they're already on the road."

"I know but I guess I'll just wait at the fort until they get home and then I'll beat the shit out of all of them, except Letty, she bites."

Mia laughed loudly, "Yea shes a real bitch! Why don't you just wait at Vince's house? We both know he's the one you want to yell at the most."

"Vince's house?" Ronnie questioned.

"Yea he bought it about 6 months after you left, I think he thought if he settled down you would come back."

"How was I supposed to find out? Through my psychic friend."

"He was a mess Ronnie." Mia said suddenly after a few minutes of silence.

Ronnie looked down at her hands, "Yea I was too, still am I think, I mean seriously I just flew across the country with nothing but my purse all because I need to make sure that he's still in one piece when all this is over."

"I think its romantic."

"I think its retarded."

Mia smiled, "Maybe." She pulled into the driveway of a large white house over looking the beach. "This is it."

Ronnie got out of the car and looked around, "You're not serious are you?"

"Serious as a heart attack, the spare key is under the flower pot by the door. I'll see you before you leave right?"

"yea well I'm sure once he sees me tonight I'll be needing a place to stay." Ronnie muttered as she watched Mia get into her car, she just smiled a knowing smile and drove off.

Ronnie found the key and opened the door, she was instantly hit by all things Vince, his scent first thing when she walked in the door, his guitars when she entered the living room, his jacket thrown carelessly on a bar stool in the kitchen. She looked around in awe of the house, she loved everything about it, especially the kitchen, she always told Vince that the kitchen was her favorite room in any house and that one day she wanted a huge kitchen with windows over looking the ocean, and here it was.

"Yo Dom, you sure about this?" Vince questioned as Dom drove them to the spot where they would meet up with the truck.

"Stop being such a pussy." Dom chuckled at the offended look on Vince's face.

"Does she know we're doing this?"

Dom nodded and reached for his phone, quickly pulling up his voicemail and playing Ronnie's angry message for him. "She found out this morning, not exactly thrilled with the idea obviously."

Vince smiled, "Apparently not."

What Dom didn't let Vince hear was the message that Ronnie left an hour later before she boarded the plane, "_Hey Dom, it's me again. Look I'm sorry about yelling but I'm just worried , just be careful ok…..If one hair on his head is hurt I will kill you." _ She spoke softly and grimly before hanging up and if Dom was being honest with himself, that second message scared the crap out of him.

"Vince, be careful tonight alright, we're all older, not quite as sharp as we used to be."

"Course bro, don't ya know safety is my middle name."

A couple hours passed and Ronnie found herself in Vince's bedroom, browsing through his closet, snooping through his drawers when she found a photo album in his side table, she pulled it out and started to flip through the pages. Each page was full of pictures of the two of them, her eyes started to water and she threw the book back into the drawer. "Pull yourself together Santos." She whispered to herself. "God this is boring."

She was jolted out of her thoughts when her phone started to blast whatever new hip hop ringtone Taylor had downloaded, "Hello?" she answered not recognizing the number.

"Ronnie, It's me"

"Mia what's wrong?" Ronnie immediately sensed the worry in Mia's voice.

"It's Vince and Dom, they're in the hospital." Mia hesitated.

"What happened are they ok, what about Letty and Leon?"

Mia sighed loudly, "Letty and Leon are here they got a little freaked and just dropped the guys off and came back to the house, I'm not exactly sure what happened just meet me at the hospital the keys to Vince's truck are by the garage door."

"Ok see you in a few."

Ronnie hung up the phone and shuttered slightly before pulling herself together and going in search of Vince's truck. She found the keys and walked into the garage to come face to face with a brand new black tahoe, "Very impressive." She mumbled.

5 minutes later Ronnie met Mia in the hospital parking lot. " Hey Mi."

"You nervous?" Mia asked following Ronnie in through the automatic doors and into the Emergency room waiting area.

"A little, but if it was really serious Letty and Leon wouldn't have left them right?"

"That's what I keep telling myself." Mia directed Ronnie towards the nurses station where they learned that Dom was in the suture area getting stitched up but Vince however was down the hall in a private room.

The girls found Dom with a piece of gauze stuck above his eye and dried streaks of blood down his face, Dom saw them coming and instantly paled at the sight of Ronnie.

"Are you gonna kill me for real?" he chuckled trying to break the tension.

Ronnie rolled her eyes, "no just tell me what happened."

Mia sat down next to him inspecting the gash above his eye, "damn this is going to leave one hell of a scar, Letty is going to go ballistic."

"I know." Dom smirked, Letty loved scars.

"Story!" Ronnie demanded loudly.

"Sorry, anyway Vince was up on the side of the rig and the dumbasses driving threw something out the window , it hit my window and shattered the damn thing , that's how I got this." He paused pointing to the gash on his head.

"And Vince."

"Well when they threw the thing they swerved and tossed Vince around like a fucking rag doll, dislocated his shoulder , the bad arm, he is feeling pretty shitty and letting the whole world know, that's why they put him in a cryer room."

Ronnie sat down on the other side of Dom, "You know I'm very angry at you right now."

"Yes." Dom answered hesitantly.

"You know that I love you like a brother."

"Yea."

"So be honest with me, is he going to hate me when he sees me?"

"I think he will be relieved, he's been worried about you. He doesn't hate you but it might be tense for a while." Dom was honest, plain and simple and that was what Ronnie truly loved about him.

She got up silently and walked down the hall towards the private rooms, instantly Vince's voice hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Listen lady I don't care where you got your degree but you're not fucking touching my arm now get the hell out!" He screamed and Ronnie cringed.

She made her way to the room his voice was coming from and opened the door quietly.

"Mr. Cruz if you do not settle down and let me do my job we will have to sedate you and restrain you." The doctor was being surprisingly patient with an impossible Vince.

"Absolutely not, you're not coming at me with needles ,straps or your voodoo hands." He exclaimed.

Ronnie closed the door loudly making her presence known. Vince's head snapped towards the door, the look of shock on his face made Ronnie want to giggle but she controlled herself given the situation.

"Ronnie what the hell are you doing here." He asked.

Ronnie walked over and sat down on the edge of his bed , she took his good arm and draped it across her lap, "well I heard the Dumbass plan that Dom got himself into and decided I would be here just in case it blew up in your faces, which I'd like to point out that it did. Now then are you going to pull the stick out of your ass and let the doc help you, I promise it will feel better after she is done." Ronnie began to run her finger through Vince's hair, she couldn't help herself, Vince was magnetic, he was her gravity and she couldn't find the strength to fight it especially when he was in the state he was in.

"how would you know anything about a dislocated shoulder?" Vince grumbled.

"Thanksgiving day, I was 14 playing football with my brothers, I told them I could handle tackle, not the smartest thing when you're 5'3 and 95 pounds anyway I spent the entire night in the ER." She smiled when Vince rolled his eyes at her story.

He looked towards the doctor, "ok fine you can fix it but you only get one try, fuck it up and its over."

Ronnie laughed loudly , Vince's good arm wrapped around her lap and clung tightly to her hip, "you 're pathetic."

"Yea I know just don't tell anyone ok, you know how much I hate hospitals and doctors."

"I'll try not to be offended by that." The doctor smiled right before she snapped his shoulder back into the socket.

Vince roared and dug his fingers into Ronnie, who winced slightly but still managed to stroke his head and whisper comforting words.

10 minutes later Ronnie was at the nurses' station getting Vince's prescriptions and care orders while Vince stood by, arm in sling and glaring at everyone in scrubs.

"Come on, Dom and Mia already left, I'm staying with you by the way, in your house your big ass house."

"you know about the house?"

"I was at the house , how else do you think your truck got here?" Ronnie opened the car door for Vince and helped him climb in before walking around and climbing into the driver's side.

"Yea sorry but these drugs they gave me are making me kind of nuts."

"The nurse said that you might feel a little weird because they gave you more but you're at home pills are a smaller dose so you wont feel crazy everytime you take it."

They had fallen back into their banter so easily, Ronnie knew it was the drugs talking but she enjoyed it none the less.

They pulled up to Vince's house several minutes later , Ronnie helped a woozy Vince into the house and to his bedroom before disposing him on the bed, she watched as he stood up and tried to take off his shirt a few times, he almost made it each time but stopped in a howl of pain.

"Vince stop you're going to make yourself puke." Ronnie grumbled walking over to him and pulling his left arm out of the shirt then pulling it over his head and finally down his injured right arm. She paused to admire his toned chest, he had gotten bigger since the last time she saw him, broader, firmer, she enjoyed the new view.

"Pants." Vince nudged her arm.

"What?" she looked up at him.

"I cant get the fly with my left hand , and my shoes don't forget those." He was toasted, gesturing wildly and completely oblivious to the fact that she was still intensely checking him out.

She pushed him to sit on the bed and knelt down to untie his boots and remove his shoes, "hey babe while you're down there want to give me a little ya know, its been a long time and you are the best."

"Only you would think of a blowjob an hour out of the ER. Stand up." She helped him stand and made quick work of unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans before tugging them down lightly.

Vince removed his sling and climbed into his plush bed, Ronnie fixed his arm up under a pillow before going to his closet and picking out her favorite tshirt of his, it was blue and unbearably soft from years of washing, she didn't know where it came from nor did she care all she cared about was that when she wore it she felt at home, she felt safe the same way she did when Vince held her. She kicked off her shoes and pants before pulling her shirt over her head and removing her bra.

She heard Vince moan lightly and turned to look over her shoulder, she caught him staring at her back, "You ok?"

"Yea are you going to sleep in here tonight?"

She pulled the shirt down and turned towards him, "yea if its ok with you, I figure I should get my good nights sleep in tonight because tomorrow you're going to remember to hate me." She crawled in next to him and sighed, content for the first time in years.


	15. Chapter 15

**New Chapter, please review. I only got 1 review last chapter and I could really use some feedback what with this writer's block I keep fighting and all. Anywho here it is.**

Ronnie awoke the next morning to a loud crash followed by several expletives in what she recognized immediately as Vince's voice, she crawled out of bed slowly and followed the noise to the kitchen where she found Vince picking up a pan off the floor, splattered egg yolk covered part of the kitchen counter, Vince's chest and the floor.

"What in the Sam hell are you doing?" she questioned walking over to him.

He jumped slightly, "Shit don't you know better than to sneak up on people?"

She just glared at him.

"I'm fucking starving, I was trying to make eggs, I saw you crack an egg with one hand a million times and thought I could do it but apparently not." He gestured towards the mess.

Ronnie grabbed a handful of paper towels, wet them and set to cleaning up the small mess before grabbing more and quickly wiping off Vince. "Ok now then , you want eggs?"

Vince nodded from his current position of pulling a barstool around the bar and into the kitchen so he could sit and watch her cook.

She set to work cooking the eggs but sidestepped it momentarily to make an ice pack for his shoulder. "here, you're supposed to ice every few hours."

He set the ice on his shoulder wincing at the cold.

Ronnie finished the eggs and plated them before pouring him juice and digging his pills out of her purse. "here take two every four hours."

"You're not wearing pants." Vince stated swallowing the pills and forking a mound of eggs into his mouth.

Ronnie looked down at her panties and Vince shirt, "No I guess not, do you need anything else?"

"How am I going to wash my hair?" he asked finishing the rest of his eggs and handing the plate to Ronnie.

Ronnie rinsed his dishes and put them in the dishwasher, "I guess I'll just take you over to Dom's, he can bathe you." She smirked.

"Absofuckinglutely not, I'll just sit and the bathtub and you can do it for me." He replied with an air of finality. He got up and headed back down the hallway towards his bedroom, Ronnie had no choice but to follow him.

Vince yelled out in pain as more shampoo suds fell into his eyes.

"God Damnit Vince if you would just keep your fucking eyes closed like I told you to this wouldn't keep happening." Ronnie growled out her frustrations.

"Yea well what do you expect me to do with you leaning over my face with that shirt on? Your tits are right in my line of vision."

"Same old Vince." Ronnie grumbled as she rinsed the rest of the shampoo out of his hair and helping him out of the tub, she held the towel around his waist until he had stepped out completely, "I think you can manage underwear by yourself, I think I've seen you naked enough for today."

"You used to like looking at my buff naked body." He smirked when she rolled her eyes.

"Whatever just go get dressed while I shower."

Ronnie showered quickly before tiptoeing into Vince's bedroom to steal some of his clothes, she found one of her old sweaters in a drawer and swiped a pair of his jeans before going in search of Vince. She found him watching TV in the living room, " are you ready?" she questioned.

He watched her walk around the couch to pick up the remote and turn off the tv, "Those are my pants."

She smiled, " they look better on me."

"sure do." He rumbled.

"Keep it in your pants Vince." She grabbed the car keys and headed towards the garage.

"I can drive." He took the keys from her.

"With one hand?"

"the truck is automatic, just get in."

Ronnie just got in the truck, she knew this was a fight she wasn't going to win.

The ride was silent, the anger had kicked in. They got to the shop and went their separate ways once inside, Ronnie to see Mia and Letty and Vince to the boys.

The girls sat in the office and watched the boys through the window, Vince glared occasionally at Ronnie, "What happened, I thought last night you said things were going well." Mia asked as she closed the blinds.

"Yea well that was before the car ride this morning when Taylor called." Ronnie spun around in Dom's office chair.

"Shut the fuck up, what happened, what did Vince do, what did Taylor say, does he know you're here."

"My god Letty when did you grow a vagina?" Ronnie laughed at Letty's long list of questions.

Mia laughed loudly , "just answer the questions."

"Well Vince wouldn't have known if I hadn't fucked up and called Taylor baby , then he asked about Vince then Vince did his pissed , look at you , raise an eyebrow, grumble and grip the steering wheel, ya know what I'm talking about."

The girls nodded.

"Yep and that was the end of that." Ronnie sighed leaning heavily on Dom's desk.

" So Taylor knows about Vince?" Mia asked.

Ronnie nodded, "Taylor was my best friend when I moved, well as much of a best friend as Taylor can be, he knows all about Vince, he told me I shouldn't have seen him last time I was out here, he was right."

"Wait what do you mean last time you were here?" Letty growled, obviously unnerved that Ronnie was in town and didn't tell her.

"Yea Taylor and I came into town to do some business and I went to the races, I just wanted to see him, make sure he was ok, im an idiot though it just made me miss him even more."

Vince had been starring at the office window for 20 minutes just willing it to implode right on Ronnie.

"Bro relax, you should be happy that he cares enough to check up on her." Leon tried to reason with him.

Vince just glared in return.

"Vince, you're not mad about Taylor, you're mad at her for leaving and you need to talk to her about it, not ignore her." Dom massaged his temples becoming thoroughly annoyed with the entire situation.

"Yea well she shouldn't have left and she shouldn't have …"

"What moved on with her life? What did you expect Vince, sure she left but she came back here to make sure that you were ok, she didn't leave me pissed off voicemails about Letty or Leon, she was worried about you which means she still cares about you." Dom roared surprising both Leon and Vince but also the three girls who heard the commotion from the office.

"Look man I know that I'm being stupid and stubborn about this, but she left and she is with someone else , I just havent figured out how I feel about it all yet." Vince replied calmly to the shock of everyone iincluding the women who were leaning against the window straining to listen.

A few hours later Ronnie found herself with Mia and Letty in some crappy bar on the outskirts of town, the tension in the shop had gotten a little thick after Dom's blowup and Ronnie wanted nothing more than to hide from the mess she had made of her life.

"So what is Taylor like?" Letty questioned around a mouthful of bar peanuts.

" Like Dom except broodier." Ronnie smiled.

"You love him don't you, like for real." Mia stated more than asked.

Ronnie was quiet for a minute as she thought about it, sure her and Taylor had exchanged 'I love you's ' in their own twisted way. "Yea I do, I actually miss him a lot, but it's different from the way that I love Vince, which makes this whole situation just that much more fucked."

"Lets talk more about Taylor." Letty smirked, Dom had been holding out on her for weeks.

"You are one horny little bitch arent you?" Mia giggled when Letty glared at her comment.

"It's not my fault, Dom wont have sex with me, he teases and teases but then nothing." Letty waved her arms to emphasize her point.

"Relax, I'm sure hes just stressed out, especially since he and Taylor have been in cahoots against me. Trying to give me a fucking heart attack."

"cahoots about what?" Letty questioned.

"This job, Taylor had differences with an associate of ours which resulted in one of our transfers going to shit and he decided to go behind my back and enlist Dom to save his ass."

"I'm gonna kill him." Letty rumbled.

"Then who will fuck you?"

Since the girls had decided to run away to the bar the boys decided to drown their own sorrows in a case of beer in the backyard.

"So what is this guy like anyway?" Vince opened his third beer, downing half of it in one gulp.

"He gets into some trouble but he's a good guy and despite himself he really cares about her, don't fuck it up for her if she decides to go back to him." Dom warned.

"for real dude, besides Tay could totally kick your ass anyway." Leon chuckled imagining a fight between Vince and Taylor.

"You've met him?" Vince questioned.

"yea he stopped by the house a few months ago." Leon replied non chalantly.

Vince glared at Dom knowing instantly that that was around the same time that Ronnie was in town and that meant that they were there together. "well isnt that cute."

Dom ignored the faint slamming of a car door that he heard in the distance, "dude I didn't know that he was coming by."

Vince continued to grumble but turned his glare on Leon instead, Leon ignored him and focused his attention on the figure he saw walking towards the backgate, when he recognized who it was his face paled. "it looks like you might get to meet him for yourself." He mumbled softly.

Dom and Vince's heads snapped towards the direction of Leon's stare, "shit." Dom ran a hand over his head in frustration, "this day has officially gone to hell in a fucking handbasket."

"That's him? You've got to be fucking kidding me." Vince shot out of his chair so fast that he knocked over the innocent lawn chair in the process.

The three men heard more car doors slam and the faint sound of girlish giggling signaling that the girls were home, "I'm not sticking around for the welcome party." Vince stomped off towards the driveway and his getaway conveinantly shoving Taylor in the process. He ran into the girls on the way out.

"Hey Vince." Ronnie offered only to be ignored.

"Shake it off Ronnie, you know he's in a mood." Mia soothed her friend.

"No he's just a prick." Letty scoffed as she ran ahead to find the guys and the beer.

"Mia are you sure he's just in a mood, I mean it's going to pass right? I just don't think I can handle him being mad at me forever." Ronnie leaned against Mia's car.

Mia smiled lovingly at her friend, "It's going to be fine, you just need to relax a little bit and know that everything will work out no matter what you decide to do."

"Yea maybe you're…." They were suddenly interrupted by a shrill shreak followed by Letty.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!"

Mia and Ronnie exchanged a look, "that can't be good." Mia exclaimed.

Ronnie followed Mia towards the backyard, her head was down as she was contemplating all of the many things wrong in her life , not really finding herself too concerned with whatever meltdown Letty was having until she heard his deep voice.

"Hey shorty." Taylor smiled and stood before her with open arms.

Her head shot up and she couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips as she leapt into his arms wrapping her body around his before leaning her head back to accept his kiss. "What are you doing here?" she hummed as he carried her over to an empty chair.

"Thought you might need some clean naughty things."

"naughty things?" Leon questioned.

"have you ever seen her underwear?"

Leon shook his head 'no'

"then don't question the terminology dude."

Leon nodded, "Fair enough."

"God this is like my favorite fantasy come true." Letty growled from her seat across from Ronnie and Taylor.

"You can't have him, I'm sorry. Dom please have sex with your girlfriend she is driving everyone nuts." Ronnie giggled as she nuzzled closer into Taylor's space.

"I know , she about creamed herself when she saw Taylor." Dom mumbled around his beer.

"Well if somebody would fuck me every once in a while." Letty mumbled.

Leon smirked, "Well papa is getting pretty old, maybe he's just waiting on his trial pack of the little blue pill to come in the mail."

Dom sighed loudly, "fine." He got up and grabbed Letty throwing her over his shoulder.

"Hey jackass what the hell are you doing?" she shouted.

"giving you what you want."

"Don't sound so excited about it."

Dom dropped Letty to her feet and rubbed his Jaw along her cheek, "baby I am, I've just been stressed about the Ronnie love triangle, but trust me I'm all yours, lets go." He rasped into her ear.

Ronnie smiled as the couple walked off into the house, "seems like its going to be a loud night."

"Oh goodie." Mia mumbled.

"It's ok baby, you'll stay downstairs with me, I'll keep you distracted." Leon purred in her ear dragging her inside the house leaving Ronnie and Taylor alone in the backyard.

"So?" Ronnie began, "what are you really doing here Taylor?"

He sighed loudly rubbing his hands up and down her back, that kind of attention was never a good sign, "I came to say goodbye."

His somber tone made Ronnie tear up, "what do you mean goodbye?" she nuzzled her face in his neck.

"we both know that I'm not what you need, I can't give you what you want." He stated matter of factly.

"What do you mean you can't give me what I want? We have a good life together Taylor, I mean it's not perfect and there is a serious chance that we'll burn in the firery pitts of hell but I love you and I love our life." She stroked her hand down his face memorizing everything about him, knowing full well that there was a good chance that he would talk her into letting him go.

"You want to settle down, have a family grow roots, you know that's not what you get with me, and we both know that you have no plans of being a mob boss for the rest of your life."

Ronnie could feel the tears flowing silently, Taylor stroked her hair as she laid her head on his chest, "I'm not sorry." She stated.

Taylor smile, it was a uniqely Ronnie phrase , "I'm not either , you know I'm here anytime you need me and if he hurts you I'll kick his ass."

"I appreciate that. Will you stay the night?"

Taylor nodded and followed into the house. The next morning when she awoke he was gone and she knew that there was a very good possibility that she would never see Taylor again but suprisingly she didn't feel as broken up about it as she thought she would.

**Review Por Favor! Besos!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Read, Review, Enjoy! Besos!**

She dressed and headed to the shop to busy herself with the work that she knew for a fact was piling up. When she got there, things were already busy, Dom, Leon and Letty were all working on their separate jobs, Mia was in the store getting ready for the lunch rush and Vince was grouchily playing tool bitch for Dom.

Ronnie spent the first few hours of her day mindlessly taking inventory of parts and fielding customers to each of the guys.

Vince had started working which annoyed Ronnie to no end, what part of 5 weeks did he not understand? Ronnie walked over to the car he was currently under, grumbling to himself through the pain, she hooked her foot under the creeper he was on and pulled him out.

"Hey what the fuck?" he shouted until he saw it was her, then he settled on a stern glare.

She rolled her eyes and dropped the bag of ice she brought onto his shoulder.

He huffed at her but didn't remove the ice, he simply rolled back under the car and went back to work, Ronnie was distracted by footsteps and a slightly familiar face.

"Ms. Santos?" A tall lean surfer type looking man came walking into the shop.

Ronnie turned towards the man, "Oh my god, Leland? How are you?" she embraced him warmly.

Vince heard the commotion and came back out from under the car, he stood up and leant against said car to observe whoever the new schmuck was that was imposing on his territory.

"I'm great, I just heard you were back in town and thought I'd drop by and see if maybe that rule you had about students and teachers was still in effect considering you're not a teacher anymore and I graduated two years ago." He slid closer into her space.

Vince growled as he watched the display.

"Leland, that's very sweet but I'm kind of involved."

Leland took a step back, "You have a boyfriend?"

Vince listened intently.

Ronnie shrugged, "Not exactly."

Leland repositioned himself in her space, "Then what's the problem?"

Ronnie pushed him away lightly, "Look I just moved back and I'm kind of involved in this thing and I just think that you would be a very irresponsible and inappropriate decision."

"Cmon Ms. Santos, you don't know what you're missing."

"Dude, I think she told you to back off." Vince's sudden presence startled Ronnie, but didn't surprise her in the least.

"who are you?" Leland scoffed at the bearded burly man.

"The thing she's kind of involved in." he accentuated his point with a shove to Leland's chest.

Ronnie's eyes bugged, "Vince! He's just a kid, ease off." She tugged on the back of his shirt.

"Ms. Santos, really? This guy is a total tool."

"Leland, I would shut up if I were you, better yet I think it's time for you to leave." Ronnie gestured the young man towards the door before turning towards Vince, "What were you thinking, you can't just push people I know around like that you overgrown oaf." She exclaimed but was suddenly interrupted by Vince's lips pressed firmly against hers.

"I'm taking you back to Dom's you're going to get your stuff and we're not going to talk. I've missed you."

She nodded, dumbfounded and scared to say anything for fear that he would change his mind. The ride to the fort was silent, Vince followed her up the stairs and into her old room that he knew well. "Clothes off." He demanded when she turned around to face him.

"you first." She smirked while helping him out of his shirt. "You sure you're up to it."

"Don't worry babe, I'll be fine."

Moments later they were both void of clothing and back in a familiar embrace, he thrust into her harder and harder shoving her closer to the headboard with every movement. It wasn't until he felt the sharp stinging of her nails digging into his hips that he looked down and saw her pained expression, finally realizing that she wasn't holding on she was pushing him away. He stopped cold; she gazed up at his paled face.

"Vince." She spoke cautiously so as not to spook him.

"Oh my God." He whispered, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry". He mumbled as he pulled his boxers on, grabbed his clothes and stumbled out the door.

Ronnie dressed quickly and ran down the stairs only to hear the sound of Vince peeling out of the driveway; she ran a hand through her hair and sighed loudly.

"What was that all about?"

Ronnie jumped at the deep sound of Dom's voice, "You scared the shit out of me!" she exclaimed swatting at him.

"Sorry, what happened? This is not usually how a night with Vince is supposed to end."

Ronnie shrugged, "I don't know, he was just getting kind of rough and I tried to get him to slow down and he freaked."

"That doesn't sound like Vince." Dom replied sitting down next to her on one of the bottom steps of the staircase.

"I know, I'm kind of worried, you think maybe you could go out with him tonight, figure out what happened?" Ronnie asked gently.

"Basically babysit him and pry into his feelings?"

"Yea pretty much, thank you , love you !" Ronnie called as she made her way back upstairs.

An hour later Dom was meeting Vince at one of their favorite dive bars but nothing could prepare him for the sight he saw when he found Vince. "Vince, you ok?" Dom ventured quietly.

Vince downed another shot before answering. "Perfect."

"Right. I saw you storm out of the house earlier, what happened? I thought you and Ron worked everything out and were having a good time."

Vince shook his head, "I fucked up man , I totally fucked it up." His armour cracked and Dom could see the anger behind his eyes.

"I'm sure its ok, you know Ronnie she doesn't hold a grudge." Dom tried to comfort the other man.

"No , she shouldn't get over this."

"Dude what happened exactly?" Dom already knew but there's always two sides to every story.

"Well after that guy at the shop was all on her I was pissed but I decided that this was stupid, I want her, I should have her." He paused to take another shot. "So we went upstairs to her room and we started going at it and I just started thinking about that guy and Taylor and her leaving and I was just so fucked up about it and I thought if we just had sex it would be back to normal but its like I wasn't even there, ya know. I didn't even know what I was doing, I was so upset I wasn't even paying attention."

"Vince I'm sure it wasn't that bad." Dom had never seen Vince this broken up about anything let alone maybe being too rough with someone.

"No Dom it was, you didn't feel her nails digging into your skin because I was hurting her. I cant believe I was hurting her, I just, just, keep her away ok? Its for the best I don't deserve to be with someone like her."

Dom shook his head in disbelief, "first of all she left you, second of all you know I can't tell her what to do."

"I know but still."

Dom just agreed half heartedly and drove Vince home. Once Dom got back to the fort he relayed the story back to Ronnie, she too was in shock at Vince's ridiculous behaviour. " I'm sorry, I know he's your oldest friend but he's acting like an idiot!" she exclaimed.

"Nah, I get it. He loves you and he hurt you, at least he thinks he did and that scares him, he always tried to keep you from that violent part of himself and all of a sudden you were right in it, just give him time." Dom said in an almost warning tone before walking out of her room and down to his own.

The next day came and went and four more just like it, but Wednesday morning brought a new day and a rough looking Vince walking through the door of the shop. Everyone but Dom kept on with their work, acting as though Vince hadnt been M.I.A for the past week, but Dom knew better than to just ignore him.

"Hey bro, you ok?" Dom asked shaking Vince's hand.

"Yea man, I'm straight ."

Dom sighed loudly at the edge in Vince's voice, "Listen to me, I know you're fucked but she's been worried so try not to be too much of an asshole."

Ronnie watched the exchanged from the upstairs loft of the garage, she knew Vince wouldn't listen to Dom, she knew that better than Dom would care to admit. She watched as Vince rolled his shoulder slightly, wincing at the pain, he hadn't taken his pain medication in five days, she knew this because she had his meds and he hadn't come by to get them, she half expected him to sneak in in the middle of the night just for the drugs but every morning she woke up and the little orange bottle was still there.

Ronnie dumped two of the pills into the palm of her hand and grabbed a bottle of water , she walked slowly down the stairs, watching him get his tools ready and laid out for the day, he was painfully organized and slightly ocd ,a trait that surprised her when they first started out together.

Vince saw her walking towards his work area out of the corner of his eye, he silently prayed that she would just turn around and walk away, he was tired, in pain, and bitchy and the last thing he wanted was another confrontation with her, he turned around to try and fend her off but stopped when he saw her simply place two pills on the work bench followed by a bottle of water, she turned and left without a word.

'That was easy.' Vince thought to himself, 'too easy'

The day went by smoothly, the confrontation that Vince anticipated never happened, granted the females of the crew mostly ignored him but none of them yelled, he thought that was a fair accomplishment.

The girls sat around the kitchen table, all three nursing beers, Mia and Letty exchanged a look both challenging each other to make the first move, unfortunately for Mia, Letty was slightly more intimidating.

"So Ron, what is your game plan?" Mia asked quickly.

Ronnie looked up at Mia with an amused expression on her face, "Game plan?"

"We all know that you have a plan with Vince, so just tell us what it is." Letty demanded.

"All I know is that I'm so tired of everything that he and I do being fucked up, it's like everything is fine and then I fuck up or he fucks up, its never just us and ok and happy ya know maybe it's just time for us both to just go our separate ways ." Ronnie shrugged in response.

"You're shitting me right?" Dom's voice boomed through the back door, making all three girls jump slightly, "I know that I didn't hear you just say that, I know that I didn't keep you safe while watching my best friend fall in love with you, I know that I didn't accept Taylor's dumbass idea just because of the minute chance that you would call Vince to try and talk him out of the asinine idea and I know that I didn't have my face almost bashed in by the side of a semi saving his life just for you to give up on the best damn thing that's ever happened to either one of you." He growled.

The three women stared at Dom wide-eyed.

"Dom , just back off ok." Ronnie exclaimed.

"No" he shot back immediately, "I'm so tired of you two acting like complete idiots, you mostly. This is a good thing Veronica, he loves you, you've already thrown that in the shitter once, Don't do it again!" Dom yelled again before retreating up the stairs, shortly after he left the girls heard his bedroom door slam loudly.

"Do you know what I'm going to have to do just to get him to be half way bearable tonight." Letty grumbled.

"Whatever like you aren't going to enjoy every second of it." Ronnie smirked.

**Thank you sincerely for reading, please take a moment and review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**YAY I'm updating! And there will be a second update tonight as well! Ay dios mios, too much excitement.**

The next morning, Ronnie sat in the loft office above the garage quietly watching the goings on around her, she saw Mia walking up the stairs out of the corner of her eye and smiled at the tall woman. "Hey girl, how you holding up today?" Mia questioned in her typical soothing manner.

"Does Vince look overly happy to you?" Ronnie avoided Mia's question.

Mia looked over the railing and towards Vince who was arranging his tools with a strange giddy smile on his face. "Yea he does, it's kind of creepy."

The girls continued staring as a gorgeous young woman walked into the garage with a toddler on her hip, Ronnie recognized the girl immediately, Bianca.

"Uncle Vince!" the toddler exclaimed before kicking her way out of her mother's hold and hugging Vince tightly.

"Hey, how is my favorite princess?"

"I'm great uncle Vince, guess what I lost another tooth look!" she opened her mouth as wide as she could and pointing to an empty space in the furthest corner, Vince oohed and aahed as he was supposed to.

Ronnie giggled loudly at the sight causing Bianca, her daughter and Vince to look up at her.

"AUNTIE RONNE!" The girl suddenly squealed before taking off towards the stairs, Ronnie met her at the bottom of the steps and scooped the little girl up in her arms.

"Oh Lily I have missed you like crazy coocoo bananas." Ronnie chuckled as she twirled Lily around in circles.

"Whoa Auntie Ronnie, that's a lot." She giggled.

Ronnie set the girl on her feet before hugging Bianca tightly. "Well I guess this settles my curiosity." Bianca teased.

Ronnie looked at her with a confused expression, "What are you talking about?"

"Well I was wondering if you killed him or not after you just took off to come save him from his own stupidity." Bianca replied.

Ronnie's eyes bugged out , "Bianca!" she exclaimed not missing the smirk on Vince's face. "I didn't need to kill him, look at him! He did enough damage without me." Ronnie gestured to Vince's arm. Vince's face fell, he suddenly looked offended, Ronnie suddenly felt accomplished.

"Well he does have a knack for hurting himself." Bianca rolled her eyes.

"Why isn't anyone talking to me?" Lily squeeled suddenly.

"Because Auntie Ronnie and I are talking about how stupid Uncle Vince is." Bianca cooed at her little girl.

The next afternoon Ronnie took it upon herself to treat Lily to a girl's day in the garage; it was while Ronnie was painting Lily's toes that Lily dropped her own bomb.

"hey auntie Ronnie" Lily called in a sing song tone

Ronnie smiled, "Yes Lily."

"Grammy says that you looooooove uncle Vince."

"She does?

"Yea, she likes to look at a picture of you two, she says it was when you guys remembered, do you really love uncle Vince?"

Ronnie smiled and looked down to the garage floor from her spot on the floor of the office loft, "Yes baby I guess I do."

Lily's face scrunched up in a look of surprise, "Does Uncle Vince know?"

"No, it's a secret so let's not tell him, besides Uncle Vince is mad at me."

"Auntie, you're too cool for anyone to be mad at you. Are my toes done?"

Ronnie nodded and kissed the little girl's cheek before she took off running down the stairs, "God if only I had that kid's energy."

Hours later Lily had gotten bored with her cartoons and was now lying under a car next to Vince, "Uncle Vince, do you like girls?"

"Lily where do you come up with this stuff?" Vince questioned dropping his wrench on his stomach.

"Well Auntie Ronnie says that you're mad at her, and she's a girl." Lily rolled over and poked Vince in the chest emphasizing her point.

"Sweetie, things with Ronnie and me are complicated."

"But you are mad at her"

"No, I'm in trouble with her?" Vince smiled.

"Why? Did you do something bad?"

Vince stared at the little girl, "Yea, I kinda hurt Ronnie, not on purpose but I did and it scared me a little

"VINCE!" Ronnie's voice cut through the garage startling both Vince and Lily.

"Uh oh, youse in trouble, Auntie Ronnie never yells." Lily stated.

"No she just only yells at me." Vince mumbled as he crawled out from under the car.

Ronnie stood in the loft trying to will herself to come up with a reason as to why she had just summoned Vince, but she couldn't come up with one. She had been thinking about him non stop since Lily had brought up their unique situation.

"You beckoned?" Vince's voice cut through her thoughts.

She looked up and caught herself staring at his slightly sweaty body and the light traces of a 3 year old hand print on his face. "have you been with Lily?"

"Yea why?" Vince replied slightly confused as to why she called him just to ask him that.

Ronnie held up a mirror showing him the little hand print, "God this kid is ridiculous." He smiled.

"Yea, you should of heard some of the stuff she got out of me earlier."

"I can only imagine. So what did you need?"

" Uhm yea, it's the craptastic filing system, it's jammed again." Ronnie answered quickly resorting to her old way of getting Vince to come pay attention to her.

"I'll try but I don't know how it will go with my shoulder." He rolled his shoulder and winced at the pain.

"Vince, you haven't been taking your pain pills have you." She offered as a statement not so much a question.

Vince rolled his eyes, "No."

"PT?"

"No"

Ronnie huffed loudly, "God you're such an idiot, you're going to lose your range of motion."

"Jesus Ronnie you're not my fucking mother, I'll be fine just relax." He half growled, half laughed at her.

Bianca appeared at the top of the stairs with Lily on her hip, "Listen would you two quit your bitching so that Ronnie can leave to get ready?"

"Ready for what where are you going?"

Bianca was about to answer when she realized that Vince was looking at Ronnie for an answer.

"We're going out to a few clubs." Ronnie replied.

"Uh huh." Vince stated glaring at Ronnie and the idea of her being out.

"I'm aloud to go out Vincent, and I promise to have Bianca home at a decent hour." She rolled her eyes before heading towards the stairs.

"By the way you're watching Lily tonight." Bianca handed Lily over to Vince quickly before he could say no.

Lily looked up at Vince, "Uncle Vince, what's wrong." She questioned referring to Vince's reddening face.

"Auntie Ronnie is in big trouble."

"Uh oh, she needs a spankin." Lily supplied matter of factly.

"Oh yea."

3a.m. rolled around and Vince was beginning to nod off in his position on the couch, Lily had been asleep for hours and still no sign of Bianca. The sound of keys jiggling in the lock startled him awake, Bianca walked in followed by a swaying Ronnie.

"Bianca what the fuck do you know what time it is?" Vince cursed softly.

"Yea well talk to the dancing queen over there." Bianca giggled and pointed towards Ronnie. "In the meantime I'm going to bed."

Vince watched her disappear down the hallway, only to turn back around and find Ronnie heading towards his bedroom.

"Ronnie!" He whisper yelled towards her before following her into his room, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, sorry we are so late but my god I'm so fucking stressed I just needed to let loose." Ronnie stumbled towards the closet and threw open the door elaborately; she started searching through the clothes for the exact gray tshirt that she was looking for.

"Ron, what are you doing?" he asked.

She took off towards his dresser and started digging threw a drawer with sweatpants, she found what she was looking for and waved them in the air victoriously. " getting ready for bed duh."

"Right, and why are you so damn stressed?" Vince was trying to make sense of the crazy drunk woman in front of him, "It has to be something big to have you this trashed."

"IT's everything, Bianca being in town, the shop is almost in the shitter, Dom is on my case about ,fuck I don't even know, you're being a pussy and then Letty thinks she's pregnant, I mean its been a bitch of a week."

"Did you say Letty and pregnant in the same sentence?" he asked falling onto his bed in complete shock.

"Yea she's telling Dom tonight, hes going to be so stoked." She smiled and swayed slightly, Vince held his hand out placing it on her hip steadying her.

Ronnie finally focused her self enough to begin removing her shirt and pants before Vince spoke again.

"And how exactly am I being a pussy." He tried not to stare at her body, but when she threw her bra to the floor he couldn't help himself, she pulled on the tshirt and pants and crawled into bed next to him cuddling up to his side and laying her head on his chest.

"You're being such a dick about everything, I just want it to be good again, that's why I came back, and things were going good until you fucked me and ran, you weren't hurting me, I just wasn't used to you anymore, you're bigger than Taylor."

Vince laughed, "And what exactly do you mean by bigger?"

Ronnie's arm flailed in the air wildly, "You know, the man bits. Taylor was long but you're fucking stacked, I just needed to get used to it that's all. Baby I'm tired."

"Ok just go to sleep we'll deal with man bits and babies tomorrow."

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	18. Chapter 18

**Second chapter of the night, I hope you guys enjoy them. I'm really focused on finishing this story and it is coming to a close but I can't stress enough how inspiring all of your reviews are, I really appreciate them and thrive on them so thank you! **

**Please continue to REVIEW! Besos!**

"Uncle Vince, what happened to Auntie Ronnie, Mommy said that she went sailing with three sheets." Lily sat at the kitchen bar swinging her feet and watching Vince cook breakfast.

"No, Ronnie is just extra tired, she'll be up soon though." Vince smiled before flipping another pancake.

Lily opened her mouth to speak again but was interrupted by the sound of something or someone crashing to the ground in the hallway. Vince dropped his spatula and quickly walked around the corner only to find Ronnie lying face down on the hardwood floor.

Lily stood by Vince's side, "Is she dead?"

"No she's just clumsy." Vince chuckled.

Lily leaned over close to Ronnie, "Auntie Ronnie, whats this?" She exclaimed before grabbing at the back of Ronnie's black thong.

Vince smirked, "Lily why don't you go tell your mom that you're ready to go." Lily skipped off to the garage where Bianca was waiting to take her to meet up with Mia for a girls day of shopping.

"It's a really good thing that I don't get hungover or else I would be so pissed at you right now."

"What the fuck did I do?" Vince questioned incredulously.

"Laughed at me and called me clumsy, and also have yet to help me up. Yea I think that about covers it."

Vince walked over and stood over her body, he bent down and hooked one arm around her waist before hauling her up in one swoop.

"oof." Ronnie mumbled, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, now here eat." Vince sat her down on the counter and handed her a plate of pancakes.

"You're being awfully nice to me."

"You called me stacked." Vince shrugged.

Ronnie started choking on her mouthful of pancakes, " I did what?"

"Stacked. Last night, you were drunk, like crazy drunk, you told me about being stacked and Letty."

Ronnie hopped off the counter and grabbed Vince's arms, "Vince! You cannot tell anyone about Letty, she swore me to secrecy, not even Mia knows!" she exclaimed while shaking him.

"Woman, calm down." He smiled, " Something else happened last night."

Ronnie's quick glance at Vince's crotch didn't go unnoticed, "Not that." He ran his hand over her bedhead. "I forgave you, I know you left because you thought you were protecting me, I get it, I would have done the same thing."

Ronnie closed her eyes at the feel of Vince's hand, "Vince, please don't do this right now."

He retracted his hand quickly, "Oh no, don't you go taking that voice with me. I have been trying to move on from the fact that you left me and I have and now you have you're don't love me voice? What the fuck Ronnie?"

"Don't try to push me into something that I'm not ready for Vince, that's not fair." Ronnie replied.

Something in Vince clicked, Ronnie saw the fire in his eyes, " Fuck no Veronica, you do not get to turn me away when last night you told me that you just wanted things to be good again and here I am fucking putting aside every part of me that doesn't want to settle down or be a one woman kind of guy because I cant stand the idea of my life without you in it, I built this house for you, I built this life for you and now all of a sudden you decide that it's not good enough, that I'm not good enough? What the fuck is that?"

"Vince this isn't fair, you can't expect me to leave my life in New York, come back here and things will be back to normal, you cant expect me to just forget everything I left behind. I had a life, a boyfriend."

"Hold up." Vince interrupted her, " You're not even making sense anymore"

"Vince, I think I just need to be alone. I have a problem with running away, from everything and hurting the people that I care about and I really don't want to hurt you anymore so I'm just going to leave and take care of myself for a little while." Ronnie got up and grabbed her bag and headed for the front door.

"Don't fool yourself Ronnie, by acting like such a fucking saint, you're not doing anyone any favors by leaving except making it easier for yourself." Vince yelled after her, half hoping that she'd come back for another round and half hoping that she would just admit that he was right.

"BIANCA" Vince yelled as he walked into the house carrying a handful of mail.

"IN HERE" she replied from the bathroom.

Vince walked into the bathroom with a hand over his eyes, "Please tell me you're not naked." He was suddenly hit in the face with a splash of water, the sound of 3 year old giggling following.

"Just giving the little worm her bath." Bianca laughed at her daughter, "why what's up?"

"What's this stuff from Calstate?" He questioned sitting down on the toilet seat.

Bianca sighed loudly, she had been avoiding telling him anything about her recent decision to attend college seeing as how it was mainly Ronnie's idea. "I uh, I applied and I got in, I start in January."

Vince smiled widely, "B, that's awesome, I'm proud of you but how are you going to pay for it, and what about Lily."

"Well they have a really great daycare program on campus and it's free for students. As far as tuition goes Ronnie helped me find a lot of scholorships and grants, theres a lot of money out there for single moms." Bianca held her breath waiting for Vince's response to Ronnie's name, it had only been three weeks since their fight. Ronnie was refusing to speak to Vince she had even gone so far as to quit working at the garage.

"That was nice of her."

Bianca smiled, "Yea it was, now I have six months to find an apartment and a job but that shouldn't be too hard." She pulled Lily out of the tub and carried her to the guest room.

Vince followed, "bullshit B, you can stay here and you're not working either. I want you to focus on school, you can work at the shop if you want but that's it." He left the room without another word, he was unexplainably happy for Bianca but the idea that Ronnie had a hand in convincing her and making it possible was getting too heavy for him.

"Hey Bro." Letty sat down heavily next to Vince at the bar of the Toretto store.

"Hello Leticia." He replied.

Letty winced at the use of her full name, "why do you do that? You know I hate it."

"Because." He took a bite out of his sandwich and a swig of his beer, "everytime you sit up next to me like that it's bad news."

Letty smirked, "It's not bad news dude, just checking in on you, you've been kind of quiet lately."

"My girl left without so much as a fuck you, came back after two years with a boyfriend that could bench a ford, decides she wants me only to have me want her back then leave. Sorry I haven't felt like a chat." He growled slowly.

"Hang in there man, you know how Ronnie is, she gets antsy when someone cares."

"That shits weak and you know it."

Letty smiled, "yea I know but I love Ron and I love you too for some reason and you guys are supposed to be together."

"God Letty you're turning into one of 'them' ." Vince replied with disgust.

"One of who?" Letty questioned before taking a sip of Vince's soda.

"One of the vagina monologues, quit it, you're freaking me out." He got up and walked around the counter depositing his trash in the garbage before heading back to work, he was halfway out the door when Letty's voice caught him again.

"Just don't hate her, she's freaked because she loves you too much. She just hasn't figured out that that's a good thing, the best thing." She called.

Vince stopped momentarily but shook off the effect of someone telling him that Ronnie loved him and continued back to his car.

Dom pulled up to the garage, it was a Sunday afternoon, they were closed up for the weekend but Vince still found the energy to work, Letty was having her baby shower , it was co-ed and Ronnie had rsvp'd that she would be there which meant that Vince would not be.

"You know that you're upsetting the pregnant lady?" Dom's deep voice rumbled through the empty garage.

Vince eased out from under the car he was working on, "Yea well I know how to handle that woman, how was the party going when you left?"

Dom caught the underlying question that Vince would never directly ask, "She looks good, looks like her old self. She's been uh teaching classes at some art school in Venice, she's back at her old townhouse, she's doing really well."

"great." Vince muttered before rolling back under the car, half wishing that it would just run him over and end the whole misery of his current situation.

"I get it , ya know. I know that this is hard, but maybe you should just give her a chance." Dom tried his best at luring Vince back to the house, which was in fact his original assignment from Mia and Letty when he left the house.

"I'm so tired of this shit." Vince began evenly, "Everyone keeps telling me to give her a chance, that she doesn't know any better, loves me too much. Do I need to remind you that she hasn't been exactly banging down my door or blowing up my phone to beg for a second chance, how do you even fucking know she wants one."

"Come with me." Dom demanded quietly.

"Where?" Vince questioned.

"Just come on." Dom led him to his car, they drove silently until the reached an old warehouse on the outskirts of town. "The city wants to turn this into a real artsy fartsy downtown type vibe place, hired Ronnie to paint a few murals on the sides of the old buildings." He led them around the building where they found a huge painting.

Vince looked the wall up and down, "Well how bout that." It was originally a picture Ronnie had taken of him at the beach a few days after they had gotten back from Jersey. "Damn."

"Yea, she tried to hide it from me for a while but I found it. Listen Vince I know we've all been on your back about everything with her, telling you to give her a chance but truth of it is that obviously she still cares about you in some way but she's being a bitch about it."

Vince laughed loudly, "Yea, that's her style though. You know how she had me runnin around after her for months a couple years ago. I'm crazy about her, but I just get so angry ya know."

"Yea, I feel the same way about Letty sometimes, I mean now that big ass belly of hers keeps me in check but it's the same thing." Dom agreed.

Vince looked up at the mural again, "I just want to be pissed at her, and I hate that she helped Bianca get into school, and that she is still talking to my sister and the girls, just makes it really difficult to figure out what I want to do, cause I'm so damn worried about how it affects Bianca and Mia and Letty, fuck even Lily.

Dom nodded, motioning him back towards the car, "I know bro, and I know that the girls are gonna keep riding your ass about it but you know I've got your back, no matter what I get it."


	19. Chapter 19

Things had not gone well after that conversation with Dom, it was as if Dom giving Vince permission to be angry set off an explosion in Vince. Even just the mention of Ronnie set him ablaze.

"BIANCA!" Vince roared through the house.

Bianca came running out of a backroom followed closely by Lily, "What? What's wrong?"

"What the fuck is this shit?" he growled holding up a yellow envelope.

"Vince, language please."

"Excuse me, what is this crap?" he responded sarcastically.

"I don't know Vincent, you're the one holding it." Bianca finally snapped back, snatching the envelope from him. She opened it , dropping the envelope itself on the ground and smiled at the card, "It's a birthday card from Ronnie."

"I know who it's from Bianca, but why is she sending you a birthday card?" he grumbled.

"Because she is my friend and Lily's aunt, she is part of the family."

"Bullshit Bianca."

The siblings glared at each other, neither one noticing that the forgotten envelope had been picked up by a precocious 3 year old, nor did they hear the sound of the door closing shut behind her, or see her crawl into the cab that had just dropped off the next-door neighbor.

"Look Vince I know that this whole thing with Ronnie has been hell for you but please, at least in front of Lily, tone it down a bit. You know how much Lily loves Auntie Ronnie, isn't that right baby?" Bianca looked down towards her daughter only to find her not there.

"Where did the little squirt go?" Vince questioned.

"I don't know, you know how she hates it when we fight. Lily, LILY!" Bianca called walking through the house checking rooms for her child. "Vince I don't see her anywhere, I can't find her." Bianca rushed after a few minutes of searching the large house.

"Did you look in the laundry room? Bathroom cabinets, the car, the pantry?" Vince listed all of Lily's favorite hiding places.

"Yes, yes, yes, I looked everywhere!" she exclaimed quickly beginning to worry.

"Bianca relax I'm sure she is fine, just hiding somewhere new." Vince attempted to calm her.

Bianca looked towards the front door and noticed that it was open slightly, "Oh my God Vince, look at the door."

Vince followed Bianca's eyes to the cracked door, "You don't think she ran away, I mean she's only three years old."

"Yea a three year old Cruz." Bianca replied wildly.

"Shit, listen you head over to Dom's, check the store and the garage, its only a couple blocks away she could walk there. I'll check with the neighbors."

"Ok." Bianca nodded grabbing her keys.

"B, everything will be fine."

"It better be." Bianca warned dangerously.

Ronnie was listening to her iPod and painting/dancing in the small studio she kept in her townhouse when her doorbell rang, she rushed to the door, she had ordered paint supplies from an online dealer and was anxious to get her hands on the new products. She pulled open the door only to come face to face with no body, but a mysterious growth did suddenly attach itself to her legs.

"Lily! What are you doing here?" Ronnie exclaimed in shock.

"I came to visit you!" the little girl giggled.

Ronnie smiled then grimaced, "Well honey that's great, but um where is your mom, or uncle Vince or somebody. How did you get here?" she asked looking out the door.

"I rode in the taxi with Max, he drove me." Lily pointed out towards the cab.

"Oh wonderful, honey grab my purse on the kitchen table and meet me outside, I'm going to go talk to Max."

Lily nodded and headed towards the kitchen while Ronnie made her way outside, she approached the driver's side of the cab where a tan arm was hanging out, she came face to face with a man no younger than 60, "Uhm Max?"

The man smiled, "You must be Auntie Ronnie, she handed me this." He gave the yellow envelope to Ronnie, "And said she wanted to come see Auntie Ronnie, shared her animal crackers with me as payment."

"Here ya go Auntie." Lily held Ronnie's massive purse above her head and out towards Ronnie.

"Thank you Lily, go back inside ok." Ronnie watched her walk back in the house, "Here you go, a real payment. I know the drive from her mom's place is at least $30, thanks for not being a serial killer."

"Anytime kiddo, have a good one." Max called as he drove away.

"Lily, babydoll, where are you?" Ronnie called out into the house when she came back in.

"In the painting room." Lily replied loudly. Ronnie walked down the hallway and into her studio. "You painted Uncle Vince."

Ronnie smiled, "Yea I did."

"Why?"

"Cause I like to look at him all the time."

"Awww that's really nice Auntie. I'm hungry." Lily quickly moved on to the next subject leaving only Ronnie behind to dwell on her past.

"Ok we will get some lunch but then I have to take you home, I have a feeling that Mommy and Uncle Vince are very worried about you." Ronnie cooed at the little girl softly before leading her out of the house and to the car.

"Why are they worried?" Lily questioned buckling herself into her safety seat.

"Because you left home and I'm pretty sure you didn't tell anyone where you went." Ronnie replied pulling out of her parking space and heading towards Lily's favorite restaurant.

"You're right. I guess it wasn't very nice of me to scare them."

"No but it's ok, we'll make it all better."

Several hours later Ronnie was sleeping soundly on the couch in Vince's house with Lily snoring lightly curled up on top of her.

"Bianca, don't worry, we will find her. In the morning we will file a report with the police, she will turn up it'll be…..shit what is this?" Vince cursed suddenly, tripping over a large white bag on the floor.

"Oh my God, Vince look." Bianca whispered standing over the couch.

Vince walked over to Bianca and looked down, his eyes finding sweet little lily laying all over Ronnie, both of them asleep. Bianca lifted Lily off of Ronnie and quietly cuddled her and carried her to her room leaving Vince to deal with Ronnie.

Vince stared at her for a few minutes before leaning over and shaking her awake. "Ron, wake up."

"Vince go away. VINCE!" Ronnie shot up. "Jesus you scared the shit out of me." She attempted to straighten her hair and clothing out but gave up after realizing that she was still wearing her stained painting clothing.

"How did you get in here, and where on earth did you find her?" He questioned calmly.

"I know about the flower pot and she came to me." She replied scooting over on the couch making room for him.

He sat down and she got up, "What do you mean she came to you?" he asked.

Ronnie returned with two coronas and handed one to Vince before sitting down closer to him this time. "She took the envelope from the birthday card I sent Bianca and got in a cab that was outside, she said that you and B were fighting about me."

Vince sighed loudly, "Yea things have been a little tense around here lately."

Ronnie scooted closer to Vince, which didn't go unnoticed, "I heard that you saw my mural."

"How did you find out about that? He rested his arm lightly on the knee that was now perpendicular to his thigh.

"Dom told me, he likes to call me from time to time to let me know how much of an idiot I'm being." She ran a hand over his hair.

"And what do you say to that, I can't imagine you taking that lying down." Vince scoffed out.

"He's right. I am being an idiot." She stated softly before standing up and walking around the couch.

Vince remained sitting, "Really?"

Ronnie leaned over the back of the couch, "Yes, I love you and I miss you." She kissed the top of his head then quietly grabbed her purse and left.

The next day promptly at 12:30 Ronnie walked into the garage, Vince was walking by the front doors and saw her come in, he got a good look at her for the first time in months, her hair was longer, now reaching her shoulders and lighter where she had been spending more and more time out in the sun. It had been one of the warmest winters in history, which explained her t-shirt and jean shorts in the middle of December, it was in short, the old Ronnie. The Ronnie he had fallen for all those years ago.

He realized he was starring when she blushed and looked down at her flip-flops, "sorry" he mumbled.

"It's ok. I was hoping that I could take you to lunch, we could talk." She replied softly.

"You gonna say what I want to hear?" He questioned.

She smiled at the comeback, "Vince, do I ever say what you want to hear?" she offered sarcastically.

"The I love you last night. That was a good start." He said in a tone that plainly stated that that part of the conversation was over. "But I don't want to talk to you."

Ronnie nodded, understanding and deciding that if and when he was ready he would come to her.

Two weeks later Vince found himself boarding a plane to Jersey, he had somehow been roped into going home with his sister and niece for Christmas, forced to leave the warm west coast weather for the frigid snowy east coast. He was none to happy about it to say the least.

Ronnie too found herself boarding a plane heading for the east coast, except hers was headed for New York City, a place she didn't really want to be and people that she didn't really want to see. She heard Vince was heading to Jersey, a fact that had been weighing heavy on her for the week that she had been privy to the information, She had grown tired of waiting on Vince about an hour after she had left the shop two weeks ago , maybe she did need a plan, or at least to take some kind of active part in getting him back because given the chance Vince would just sit and think and stew on it forever. Yes she needed to take action and quickly.

"Excuse me can I change my ticket to Jersey instead of New York?"


	20. Chapter 20

Hello Everyone, I am so sorry I have not updated in months! Anyway this is the latest installment, I hope you all enjoy and keep reviewing. Also a big thank you to all of you who have been not only reviewing but also favorite-ing (yes I am aware that is not a real word) the story as well as me as an author, it is truly inspiring.

FYI: I'm not a complete ball of raging hormones, do not let all of the smuttiness in this chapter fool you!

As always Besos!

Vince walked into his mother's house and was immediately hit with all things Christmas. Before he could even get to the Kitchen to greet his Mom he was hit with something else, Ronnie's laugh. He peered around the corner and into the kitchen; sure enough there she sat at the kitchen table drinking hot chocolate with his mother.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He exclaimed slightly outraged.

She got up and walked over to him, pushed him towards the stairs and hopefully out of earshot, "winning you back." She poked him in the chest with a smile

Vince tried desperately not to smile back at her; between the low-cut sweater and perfume that had once been his favorite smell it was increasingly difficult. "You know it's rude to show up at someone's house uninvited." The foul look she gave him at that statement almost made him laugh, almost.

"Vincent, watch your mouth! I invited her when she came to town for thanksgiving with Bianca." His mother's voice found them from somewhere around the corner.

"Yea Vincent." Ronnie giggled.

"You are in so much trouble." Vince declared after starring at her for a few seconds, "I'm calling Dom."

Ronnie waited patiently while Vince dialed. "Yo dog, yea she is here, yea one piece. I can't believe you knew! Fuck man I'm not talking to you either!"

"Vince, Ronnie honey we are taking the girls to go look at Christmas lights and to see Santa. We'll be back in a couple hours." Layla popped her head around the corner quickly before disappearing again.

Vince smiled at his mother before setting a sterner gaze on Ronnie. "You love me?" He questioned.

"Yes." She smiled confidently

He placed both hands on her shoulders and pushed lightly, "Then back off." He replied lowly.

She rolled her eyes, obviously annoyed and dejected, "fine I'm going to go relax in the hot tub, when you decide to stop being an ass you can join."

She disappeared up the stairs and he sat himself on the sofa and turned on the TV. He was mildly distracted by some cooking channel when she came back down the stairs and crossed the living room heading for the patio that contained the hot tub. He hadn't seen her in a bikini in years, granted he had seen her drunkenly naked a few months ago but it was only for a second, and right now she was waltzing through his mothers house in the tiniest black bikini he had ever seen.

He laid against the sofa once again, part of him just wanted to go get her, drag her upstairs and show her just how much he had missed her but then another part of him questioned, if its really love should it really be this difficult.

She was reclining in the bubbling water when she felt him behind her, watching her. "What do you want Vince?"

" If I forgive you and you forgive me, we both apologize and all that shit, then what happens." He rumbled softly.

She opened her eyes and turned towards him, "then I love you forever." She stated simply.

"OK" He grabbed her arms and lifted her out of the water and wrapped her around him easily, he wound his hand through her messy bunched up hair and pulled her lips towards his.

Their kiss was hard and rushed, years of pent up frustration behind it but suddenly it became soft, due to her mostly. She gently massaged his lips and tongue with her own almost as if memorizing the feeling for fear it wouldn't happen again.

He lifted her out of the water and carried her into the house stopping at the sofa. "I don't think I can make it upstairs."

"You better not be calling me fat." Ronnie smiled when he sat down with her on top of him.

"I'm calling you sexy." He pulled her hips down grinding his growing erection into her.

"Oh God." She groaned out before biting into his neck to drown out her oncoming moan.

Within a matter of seconds he found himself shirtless with his pants around his ankles and Ronnie sliding down to kneel on the floor. "Ron baby seriously I don't know that I can handle that right now." He stammered when he felt her hot breath on his throbbing cock.

Her grip got tighter as she fisted him, "oh don't worry, you will be cumming inside me, but I plan to torture you first."

"Oh God." It was Vince's turn to groan as he watched her lower her full lips around his head, she sucked softly while simultaneously tonguing the slit at the tip of his cock. She slowly worked her way down all the while rubbing his stomach, thighs and massaging his balls. "God Veronica, I want to be in you."

She released him with a popping sound, "What's the magic word?" She questioned standing up and removing her bikini top.

Vince made quick work of ripping her bottoms off of her and trailing his own set of hot kisses across her stomach, he let his hand slip to her wetness slipping his middle finger inside of her and working her clit with his thumb, she shuttered slightly and let out a garbled set of swear words, "What was that about a magic word." He teased.

He stopped his teasing when he caught the pure look of lust in her eyes. She straddled his hips and lowered herself onto him slowly. When he was fully engulfed inside of her they began to rock together, gliding against each other falling back into a familiar rhythm.

"Vince." Ronnie's breath hitched, "God I love you so much."

Something about her words triggered an emotion in Vince; his hips snapped upwards into her, "Say it again." He growled.

She pulled her face away from where it was buried in his shoulder and grabbed his face between her hands, "I love you." She whispered before kissing him slowly.

A few more hard thrusts and he was spilling inside her while she throbbed around him. They rested for several minutes before he picked her up and carried her up the stairs, laying her down in their bed to continue their overdue lovemaking for many more hours.

The next morning Vince woke up and rolled over, expecting to be greeted with an empty other half of the bed but was pleasantly surprised when Ronnie was there instead.

Three days later they were back in Los Angeles and Ronnie had somehow gotten coerced into shopping for the big New Year's party with Dom.

"Remind me again why I have to do this?" Ronnie groaned as she followed Dom down an aisle at the liquor store.

"Because" He dropped a case of beer into the basket she was pushing. "I don't much appreciate having to explain to your brother and my cousin that the reason you didn't show up in New York for Christmas was because you were fucking the shit out of my best friend."

"Oh God Dom. Hop off my ovaries. You of all people should be ecstatic about this. Don't think I don't know all about your little visits to Vince and all those pep talks. I know things." She tapped his ass with the basket.

"Stupid Mia." He muttered quietly.

"Do you trust me?" Ronnie asked suddenly as she waited for Vince to finish getting ready for the party later that night.

"Of course. Why ask such a dumb question?" He answered from the closet where he was digging out a shirt.

"Dom was lecturing me this morning a little bit about Christmas. I just feel like no one really trusts me with you anymore. I've been selfish and I hurt you." Ronnie began tearing slightly.

"Baby, don't cry. Listen we have had our issues we didn't know how to deal with, yea you bailed, So what we both did. The important thing for us now is to start over fresh." He hugged her tightly

"Why are you so good? You can't look like that and be a good conversationalist, its just not scientifically possible."

"Well." His hands traveled down her body. "We could skip this dumbass party and stay here. I wont say one word, except your name." he growled softly into her ear.

"Wow um no I'm good." She laughed

Vince stood up straight letting her go in the process. "I think I'm offended."

"Yea well we miss this party and then not only am I the chick that bailed I'm also the chick that keeps you away from you're family. No thank you." She replied shimmying into her denim shorts.

"This is one of those things that I should just go with even though its completely ridiculous right?"

"Exactly." She smiled moving towards him. He still hadn't found his shirt. She knew it was in the laundry room, she had washed it earlier but she kept that nugget of information to herself.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

She didn't say anything as she stood in front of him, just let her hand travel to the button of his jeans and flick it open.

"Is that so?" He laughed.

"Well I don't think it would set us back too much." She smiled letting him push her up against the nearest wall.

He devoured her lips nipping gently at her bottom lip. She unzipped his jeans and pushed them roughly down his legs taking his boxers with them.

"Somebody is in a hurry." He groaned into her ear.

"Yea well some of us are already wet and eager." She replied stroking him. His loud laugh caused her to squeeze tighter.

He let his hands travel across the expanse of skin that was visible between her shirt and shorts. "So foreplay is out of the question?" He asked pulling her shirt up and over her head. He looked down at her bare torso and smiled. "No bra. You planned this." He massaged her breasts roughly with one hand while he worked her shorts down with the other.

"I thought maybe we could sneak off for beach sex, but this is so much cleaner." She panted when his fingers moved inside of her. She lifted one leg and freed herself from the confines of her shorts and panties.

"You weren't kidding about that wet and eager thing were you?"

"I've got two years to make up for." She gasped when his thumb found her clit working in sync with his other two thrusting fingers.

"Damn straight." He moved his hand to her hip and kissed her hard. She bit his lip when he thrust into her. "Sorry was that too eager."

"Jackass" she smirked grabbing his hips and rocking with him.

She was right. It didn't take them long at all. She couldn't help the loud string of curse words and moans that escaped her lips. The volume only made it more difficult for Vince to keep his control.

"Fuck Ronnie. Shut up I can't concentrate." He shivered as her nails dug into his ass.

"I can't help it." She moaned as she shuddered around him. That sent him over the edge, he braced his arms on either side of her head and rammed his hips into her three more times before he became a mess of ragged breath and sweat.

The only thing he could hear was his own panting and the soft sounds of Ronnie kissing his chest and murmuring. "What?" he asked.

"I'm sorry I just couldn't hold out any longer. I just, fuck, when was the last time it was that good? I mean it's always good but shit." She ran her hands across his stomach and up to his neck. She twirled a piece of his hair between her fingers before leaning up and kissing him slowly. The kiss intensified and she pressed her body against his.

"Veronica stop. I literally can't do that again right now. I think I would die."

"You're right." She giggled. "We should get going." She untangled herself from him and started to redress.

"I still have to find my shirt." He replied pulling his jeans and boxers back up.

"Oh that." Was her muffled response from somewhere in her shirt. "It's in the laundry room.

He stared at her slack jawed before smiling widely. "You sneaky little shit, and they call me a dog."

"You're late." Dom growled when the finally made it to the beach party.

Vince just smiled and went in search of a beer leaving Ronnie to deal with the angry big guy.

"Look it's before midnight and when was the last time you saw him that satisfied?" she smiled.

Dom grimaced at the thought of what they had been doing before noticing the loving smile on her face. "Yea I guess I could say the same thing about you."

Several hours later Ronnie was lounging comfortably between Vince's legs listening to the drunken ranting of the group.

"You know what I didn't expect. How fucking pissed Dom got when you found her vibrator." Leon laughed in reference to a fall out Ronnie and Vince had when left in the fort alone.

"That was not funny. You two didn't have to deal with the phone call from Carmine." Dom grimaced remembering the unpleasant phone call he got from Ronnie's eldest brother.

"No you know the worst?" Mia giggled obnoxiously.

Dom's gaze quickly sobered when he set eyes on Mia, realization hitting him. "Mi, don't."

"No Dom it's funny. Vince, remember when he found us fucking on the couch? Oh god he was so pissed." She continued laughing, failing to notice the silence that fell on the rest of the group.

"You had sex with Vince?" Ronnie questioned all too calmly.

"Yea." Mia nodded. "But don't worry it was like a whole month after you left. We were drunk, drunker than I am right now and that is deeruunk."

Ronnie didn't say a word, simply dislodged herself from a silent Vince and walked towards the car.

It was Dom that came running after her. "Where is he?" she asked not even turning around to verify what the heavy footsteps already told her.

"Screaming at Mia."

"Do me a favor?" She asked turning around. "Keep him for tonight. I just can't be around him." A single heart-wrenching sob escaped her lips. "I'd stay with you but I just cant look at my best friend knowing that she slept with the guy I love. I know we weren't together at the time but it's still kind of killing me." She cried painfully.

"Anything you want."

"I can't believe you fucking told her you fucking idiotic drunken bitch." Vince roared at a silent Mia.

"Vince I told you I was sorry." Mia whined.

"That doesn't take it back." He replied quietly. He stood slowly and headed for the parking lot.

"She took your car." Dom said as soon as Vince came into view.

"Give me a ride?"

"Can't. You're sleeping at the fort tonight. Mama kicked you out." Dom smirked

"I can't stay with you guys and the baby. Babies cry."

"Brilliant realization dumbass." Letty interjected from behind him.

"Just give her some air. She needs to digest this. She's not going anywhere, and she isn't mad, she's just hurt." Dom told him knowingly.

"She was gone, we weren't together and I was drunk." Vince tried to explain himself in a way that sounded oddly like the same explanation he offered when Dom found them.

"She knows. Time Vince. Trust me." Dom assured.


	21. Chapter 21

Hello everyone! I am so incredibly sorry that I haven't updated this story in over a year. A very special apology to the reader that Pm'd me a couple months ago, I lied when I told you I was updating that weekend and lying is wrong. Anyway here is the latest chapter, please still read it. I have about half of the next chapter written so that could possibly be up tonight as well. Also I am considering going back and re-writing the earlier chapters just for editing's sake. Thank you guys for still reading and re-reading this story, I know you are, it means the world to me.

As always, besos!

Ronnie fell off the face of the earth for two weeks. After that first night apart she moved the few things she had at Vince's back to her townhouse so that Vince could come back. He knew that she was coming around the shop and the Toretto house but she was extremely sneaky about it and he had yet to see her.

It was 5pm on a Thursday when Ronnie pulled into the garage bay. She killed the engine and looked around cautiously. She knew that Vince rarely hung around past 4:30, his car was gone and she felt safe that he was nowhere near her.

Dom strolled downstairs from the loft office and looked surprised to see her sitting there in her car. "Ron? You ok kid?" He leaned in to her driver's side window.

"It's Carmine. He was shot this morning." Carmine. Her eldest brother, the one she was closest to.

"Who killed him?" Was Dom's first response.

"God, I don't know. Taylor called and told me. He said that they had a lock on the families and they think that it's just some pissed off lackey." She lifted her head from where it had been resting on the steering wheel.

Dom noticed the tear streaks on her face and opened the door dragging her out of the car and into a hug. "It's going to be ok kid."

"Can you take me to the airport in the morning?"

"Are you going to tell him?" Dom rumbled in reference to Vince.

Ronnie nodded her head forcefully. "I'm mad but I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."

6:30 the next morning Vince awoke to a loud banging on his front door. He groggily made it to the door not even bothering to put pants on. The sight he came face to face with was not one he was expecting at all, a sniffling Ronnie. It was clear she had been crying and Vince immediately saw red. "What is it? I'll kill them." He spoke calmly. He knew that whatever was bothering her was not him. There was a pained look in her eyes that he was certain didn't connect to him in anyway.

"I'm going to New York." She sniffed loudly.

Vince looked past her and into the driveway where he saw Dom waiting patiently in his car. " What's going on?" He questioned falling into a panic.

"Someone took a hit out on my brother. He was killed yesterday morning. The funeral is on Monday. I just didn't want to leave again without saying anything."

"Do you want me to come with you?" he lifted her chin and pushed her hair out of her face.

"No. It's not safe right now." She stared up at him.

"Then I really don't want you to go." He rested his forehead against hers and slowly wrapped his arms around her hips.

"Taylor will be there, he wont protect you like he'll protect me. Mostly because he hates you and hasn't seen you naked."

"I'm going to let that one slide seeing as how you're crying and I'm in trouble." He smiled at her.

His smile almost calmed her. "Smart. I'm still upset with you but I love you." She whispered pecking his lips lightly before disappearing into the morning darkness.

Monday Afternoon came and Ronnie sat silently in a pew in between her youngest brother Tony and Taylor. Her legs sat crossed and Taylor had one large hand draped across them. She knew she should move it but at that moment she didn't really care. The service ended quickly and the burial even quicker. That type of send off was typical in their line of work, the reality of everything always hit a bit too close to home for them all. After one of their own died questions began to emerge, 'when will I die?' 'What's on the other side when I do?' it was too real, too close.

She followed Taylor quietly into the apartment that they once shared. It was agreed that she would stay with him during her visit. The rest of her brothers were deemed as too much of a target. " Shorty are you ok?"

Ronnie looked at him quizzically. " Seriously?"

"I know. Stupid question. You know I'm no good at this kind of stuff."

"I know." She hugged him warmly. " Honestly there is only one thing that I want to hear from you right now, my name." he leaned down and kissed her tentatively before she pushed him away. " I really want to because I know that it would make me forget about all of this, but I 'd only be forgetting for a little while and then when it was over I'd still have to deal with this and the look on Vince's face when he found out."

"Oh him. You know I'm prettier than him right?" Taylor tried his hand at making her smile. He understood that she couldn't cheat on her boyfriend with him even under the perfect pretense of grief. Lying, cheating, this lifestyle in general wasn't her style. He respected that about her, it was what he found so attractive about her.

"Yea Tay no one has ever been or will ever be as pretty as you." She smiled slightly. "Anyway enough of that. What is the plan for tomorrow?"

Taylor quirked an eyebrow at her. "Plan? There will be no plan for you shortstack. I don't want to have to explain how you got your ass blown off to anybody."

"You're a poet, really." Ronnie glared at Taylor before seeking out his bedroom, slamming the door and hiding until the next afternoon.

4 Weeks later

"Ron! What the fuck are you still doing in New fucking York?!" Dominic roared into this cell phone.

Ronnie had successfully hidden herself in the city for an entire month. She avoided Dom's phone calls and sidestepped Taylor's disproving glares. This time however she couldn't ignore Dom. He went above her and called Matty.

"I hate you." Ronnie mouthed to Matty silently. "Dom you know I've got things to take care of. Hop off my vadge."

"Bullshit Ronnie! I talked to Taylor; I know that you've been done with business for weeks. Vince is worrying himself to death." Dom slammed the door to his office shut. He didn't need the rest of the shop hearing him yell; of course a two-inch thick door wasn't really doing much good to block out his voice.

" Dominic, there are just a few things here left to take care of, some things I have to do." She sighed trying desperately to get him off the phone.

"Running away from your family isn't one of them." Dom hung up the phone; he knew it was a low blow to essentially deny that her blood was her family. Even worse was the fact that he mentioned her running away. She was insecure about her inability to commit to anything, whether it be figure skating or Vince. It was a risk that Dom was willing to take; he only hoped that it would force her to face her fears not run away from them faster.

"Just call him." Taylor grumbled when he felt Ronnie shift next to him on her couch. They had fallen into a routine over the past few weeks; during the day they worked and at night they ate dinner on the couch in front of the TV in the apartment Ronnie had rented after a particularly intense fight with Taylor her third night back.

"I'm not calling him." She glared at her phone. She wanted to talk to him the second Dom hung up on her.

"You're going to have to talk to him at some point." Taylor was suddenly finished with the conversation. "We've got an early morning. I'll see you tomorrow." He offered harshly before walking out the door.

"God , everybody hates me." She mumbled to herself through the beginnings of tears. For the first time in the month she had been gone she not only wanted Vince, she needed him and that scared the shit out of her.

Ronnie woke up the next morning in a cold sweat. She groaned to herself through her entire morning routine. She was tired and didn't feel like dealing with anything or anyone. She showered and didn't even bother with fixing her hair, opting instead to put it into a wet bun. She pulled the dark denim jeans and white tshirt from her closet without thought or effort and struggled to put them on and reach her phone when it started ringing. "What?" she bit into the receiver.

"You on your way yet?" It was an annoyed sounding Taylor. Apparently already at Matty's place and waiting on her was not what he wanted to be doing.

"What the fuck crawled up your ass and died?" She bitched snatching her leather coat, keys and purse before clacking towards the front door.

"Ronnie please don't be a bitch today. I'm tired, hungry, sore and horny as hell. I don't need to add pissed at your dumbass to the list."

"Don't talk to me about horny." Ronnie laughed despite her foul mood. A year ago this would have been foreplay for the two of them. Now it was just a couple of associates licking their wounds.

"Goodbye Ron."

She heard the line go dead and smiled a reminiscent smirk. That jovial moment was short lived however when she opened her door and came face to face with him.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she exhaled.

"I could ask you the same damn thing Veronica." He moved to enter her apartment.

Ronnie held her hand up and pushed him back out. "You can bitch at me in the car. I'm late for work."

Vince scoffed but followed her anyway.

The car ride was silent for the first five minutes until Vince began his tirade. "Why are you still here?"

Ronnie sighed loudly, " I told you I have things to take care of. Loose ends."

"Are you back with him?" Vince asked coldly.

"What?" Ronnie croaked in shock. "No." she exclaimed.

"Then what the fuck is it Veronica? Are you fucking him behind my back for revenge? Why the hell else are you here?"

"Me? Why are you here? If I wanted to see you I would have come back." She slammed the car into park in front of the restaurant. She slid out of the car and slammed the door behind her.

Vince Followed. " I came here for you. I figured last time I let you just run off without even trying to find you. I waited for you like a dumbass." He yelled following her in the back door. "I thought I'd try something new and come get you. Forgive me for not wanting to lose you again."

"Vince you cannot be here right now. You don't understand, it's not safe." She yelled back gaining the attention of the few men, including Taylor, that were sitting in a booth in the corner.

"What part of that statement is supposed to make me feel better about you being here?!" He exclaimed.

Taylor decided that was the moment for him to intervene. " Why don't we take this to the back." He suggested ushering the couple to the back office. "Vince could you just give us a second?" He stopped Vince right out side the swinging door that led into the office. The lingering look that Taylor gave Vince through the window in the doorway prompted Vince to stand close by.

"What now Tay?" Ronnie groaned picking up a breadstick out of a random breadbasket sitting on the desk.

"Why are you so pissed off about him showing up? You would usually think that it's romantic."

"I'm just not in a very romantic mood. I'm still pissed at him." Ronnie groaned

Taylor's eyes bugged, "For what? Doing exactly what you did?"

"Excuse me?" Ronnie's voice was dangerously low.

"So he had drunken sex with Mia, once. So fucking what!? You were here with me, doing the same damn thing, except you were in a relationship with me."

"What is your point with all this? You think I don't know that what I did was worse?" She was starting to cry and that was not what Taylor wanted at all.

"All I'm saying is that you can't be mad at him for something that you did too. You love him." He patted her shoulder gently.

"I know." She sighed.

"That leads me to my next question. Have you told him yet?" Taylor questioned in a tone that reminded Vince of a teacher reprimanding the class clown.

"It has nothing to do with him." Ronnie said lowly.

"Bullshit Ronnie. This is going to rock his fucking world and you're just going to let it happen without even warning him? You need to go home." He demanded.

Ronnie's temper snapped. "Fine. You want me to go home? Fucking fine I'm going." She stormed out of the door and past Vince, through the restaurant and to her car. Taylor watched her drive off towards the expressway and most likely to the airport.

"What the hell was that?" Vince breathed.

"Well, the good thing is she's going back to California."

"Can I get a ride to the airport?" Vince groaned in response, not really looking forward to getting back on another plane.

"No. You should wait a couple of days. She's got something to tell you and it's going to be difficult for her and you. She needs a couple days to cool off from me and figure out what to do." Taylor dropped something cold into Vince's hand.

"What's this?"

"Key to her apartment."

"And she expects me to believe that nothing is going on between you two?" Vince scoffed in Taylor's direction.

"It's not. I tried but she wasn't going to have any of it." Taylor assured.

"The thing that she has to tell me. What is it?" Vince followed Taylor outside to a waiting car.

"It isn't my thing to tell. It's going to be a difficult thing for her to go through, you know because of her mom and everything, so just try to be supportive. Max is going to take you by her place. Get her shit and check into a hotel. She was telling the truth, it's not safe here for you, or her. At least one good thing is coming of you popping in." Taylor shut the door to the car with Vince inside.

The window rolled down slowly. "Taylor, thanks for taking care of her. You're important to her, I don't like it but I recognize it."

"Anytime Vince."


End file.
